


Jason Grace and the Demigods of Asgard

by Darkanny



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, SPOILERS FOR THE BURNING MAZE, Tags May Change, Valhalla, Yeah you read that right Jason/TJ is happening and I'm making sure of it, i mean it's just the one spoiler but it's THE spoiler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-05-03 10:50:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14567403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkanny/pseuds/Darkanny
Summary: **SPOILERS FOR THE BURNING MAZE**Jason Grace wakes up in a place he doesn't recognize and most certainly didn't expect. He expected the Underworld, Elysium and Hades; not this huge Hotel where people died and revived every day. Most certainly didn't expect to meet Annabeth Chase's demigod cousin who also happened to be dead. Why is he even here?orJason Grace gets sent to Hotel Valhalla after his death





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in denial :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

He didn’t understand all that well what had happened.

 

All in all, he should be going _down_ , not up towards the sky. I mean, usually he was indeed going up, flying through the winds as he pleased, but given the circumstances it shouldn’t be possible.

 

And it wasn’t even he who was flying; a girl was holding his wrist, pulling him up with her as she rode a horse that reminded him of his own occasional companion. She wore a green scarf around her head and kept glancing at him, alternating between frowning and grimacing, as if she were having an internal debate with herself over him.

 

Now, a lot of weird stuff had happened to him, starting with his own birth. His entire life was one parade of impossible stuff after the other, but for some reason this particular event didn’t register in his mind. He was too stunned to shout, fight or even ask the girl who she was or where she was taking him.

 

Eventually it didn’t matter as a fog started clouding his mind, lulling him into unconsciousness as he finally heard the girl speak, her words hazy like morning mist.

 

“I’m definitely getting fired this time”

 

* * *

 

When he woke up all he saw was white.

 

The ground was solid underneath him, and the building that rose in front of him was too big for his brain to make sense of it. White trees littered the courtyard, their golden leaves defying nature in a way he should be used to by now. Walking closer to the building he could make out huge doors with knockers in the shape of wolf heads, and the sight brought him some peace; the wolves were always a reminder of home.

 

He absentmindedly brought a hand to his chest, startling when he found only solid muscle and his clothes feeling like new. He looked down at himself and didn’t understand what he was seeing.

 

By all means there should’ve been a couple of holes right where his heart was currently beating.

 

“Hey kid!” A voice called through the yard.

 

His head whipped up, looking once more in the direction of the huge wooden doors of the building. One of them was partially open, a burly man with a beard that put his father’s to shame leaning out. He could make an axe glinting in the man’s belt. Oh gods, was he in trouble?

 

“You coming in or what?” The man shouted, gesturing for him to come in already.

 

He didn’t know what else to do so, preparing himself for the unexpected, he marched inside.

 

The building, which looked to be polished marble from the outside, had the interior of a wooden lodge. A huge fireplace roaring in the far wall, with people both young and old laying around in couches covered with animal skins. The whole place was full of animal pelts, actually. A few boys and girls around his age ran around after each other, laughing as they wielded spears and axes. A girl threw her spear at the boy she was chasing, hitting him square between the shoulders.

 

He yelped, a phantom sympathetic pain flaring on his own back as he saw the boy fell to the ground, his face boring an expression of annoyance rather than surprise or pain.

 

The man who had guided him in shook his head, patting his shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s not permanent. He’ll be back by dinner” The man walked off to the other side of the room, where an overturned boat served as desk for a man with an even bigger beard than his guide. “I’m Hunding, by the way. Doorman of Hotel Valhalla”

 

“Valhalla?” He’d heard of it. Of course he had, he wasn’t so closed off as to never have seen a Marvel movie or read about the world’s other mythologies.

 

Hunding hummed, nodding as he guided him to the boat-desk. “Did you bring any luggage?”

 

“Luggage? N-no”

 

Hunding sighed. “That’s fine. Here we are, you need to check in”

 

The man sitting by the desk stood up, leaning forward to shake his hand in greeting. “Welcome to Hotel Valhalla, young hero. My name is Helgi, the hotel’s manager”

 

“Um, hi” He muttered, still overwhelmed by everything that had happened so far.

 

“Alright then, seems you have been upgraded to a suit!” Helgi said cheerfully, ignoring Hunding’s muttering of ‘only suits in this hotel anyway’. Helgi typed something on his computer and frowned. “Ah, seems the system is acting up a bit. Nothing we can’t fix later!” He pulled out a stack of paper notes and dug a pen from the confines of his beard. “Could I have your full name to finish up your registry later, young man?” He looked expectantly at him, obviously already knowing his name but still wanting to play the part of proper manager.

 

“Jason” He said. “Jason Grace”

 

* * *

 

The tour of the hotel passed right over Jason’s head as he followed Hunding through hallways, rec rooms and what looked like a torture chamber. He was just too confused, too dizzy yet hyped at the same time. A few hours ago he had been stabbed through the back with a spear by a crazy immortal roman emperor, and now he was whole and well, walking through the halls of a hotel where people seemed perfectly fine with killing each other left and right, since everyone was already dead and would wake up again after a while.

 

“Here we are lad” Hunding said as he stopped in front of an elevator. “Floor 19 is where you’ll go. A bunch of troublemakers, that lot” Even though he worded it as a complain, Jason could tell the man was terribly fond of said lot.

 

“Why floor 19?” Jason asked. He had so many more questions he could be making; why was he here, who was that girl who picked him up from Caligula’s exploding ship, why did everyone like axes so much when swords were clearly superior. But at this time that seemed like the only question he could get out.

 

Hunding herded him inside the elevator, pushing one of the lower buttons of the hundreds of ones littering the wall. “It’s the floor where heroes your age live. Upper floors are for the oldest ones. All depends on your age at the moment of death”

 

Jason’s stomach twisted. He really was dead, wasn’t he? He knew he would die the moment he told Piper about the prophecy, but it still didn’t process completely. Oh gods, _Piper_. He didn’t even know what was of them. Had Apollo managed to get them out? Were they safe?

 

The elevator dinged as they reached their destination, the doors opening into a huge hall with doors lining both walls. He followed Hunding into the hall, seeing the names in each door as he passed. His eyes strayed in one in particular.

 

“Magnus…Chase?”

 

“Ah yes” Hunding said with particular affection in his voice. “That boy really is something else. Appeared one day, not knowing anything about us—quite like you! and then proceeded to take the place by storm, receiving prophecies and going on world-saving quests”

 

Jason hummed. “Sounds like someone I know”

 

“Here it is” He stopped in front of the last door of the hall, his name in a plate hanging on the wood. A strange shape was on the door, no handle to be seen. “Here’s your key”

 

He handed Jason a smooth stone with the same shape carved on it. On his hand, the little drawing—a rune, his mind provided—started glowing, along with the one in the door. He brought it up to the door, slotting them against each other and seeing the door open for him. “Woah”

 

Hunding nodded. “Well, then. This is it for me. You get comfortable and, when you’re done settling in, I think your floormates are in the common room on the other side of the hall. They can bring you up to speed on how everything works here” He patted Jason’s shoulder once more, turning away and back into the elevator. “Good luck!”

 

Jason blinked at him as he left, and finally opened the door and stepped in. And he almost stepped back out.

 

The room was like something straight out of his dreams; so much so it almost scared him. The main room seemed to be modelled after Camp Halfblood’s outdoors, with green grass carpeting the floor and four huge pine trees rising far into an open ceiling, which didn’t make sense considering he was inside a building in the lower floors. The pine trees looked exactly like the one his sister had been turned into, the one holding the Golden Fleece on the outskirts of Halfblood Hill. The sight of them brought him both a deep sadness and a sense of peace, as if they represented the presence of Thalia in his afterlife and wanted to make him company, trying to soothe him.

 

In the middle of the room a miniature version of Hestia’s Hearth roared with a warm fire, but he could feel there was no danger of it setting fire to anything in the room. In one corner was a small fully furnished kitchen with a minibar Helgi had been adamant he take the keys to. A door to the left of the room led into a bathroom so big it had its own _thermae_ , a copy of the traditional roman baths they had in New Rome. To the other side of the room opened the bedroom, white marble walls decorated with both wolf and eagle motifs, with an architectural style and decorations that seemed to blend his Greek and Roman bedrooms seamlessly. Annabeth would’ve loved it.

 

“Annabeth” He frowned, remembering the name in the door he’d passed by. He didn’t really understand why the name pulled at something inside of him; Chase was a very common name, it didn’t have to mean anything.

 

A knock on the door caught his attention. Well, more like someone had repeatedly brought a battering ram down into it.

 

He opened it to find an angry-looking girl with a wild mane of red hair standing outside, arms crossed as she stared at him.

 

“There you are. Do you plan on leaving us waiting all day or just until Ragnarok comes?” She said. He remembered reading a couple of names in the rooms that could belong to girls, but seeing her hair and hearing her accent he could place a name to her.

 

“…Mallory, right?” Jason asked, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. “Sorry, I’m still taking all this in”

 

Mallory hummed, hands moving to hook on the pockets of her jeans. “It’s fine, you just got here after all” She held out her fist. “Bring ‘er here”

 

Jason complied, fist-bumping her with a smile. “I’m Jason Grace by the way”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I read your door. Now come on, you have to meet the rest of the gang before they send us to battle”

 

Jason blinked in confusion, following after her. “Battle?”

 

Mallory hummed. “In preparation for Ragnarok. Every day after lunch we set off to the fields and battle to the death. It’s fun”

 

Jason remembered the boy in the lobby, being skewered by a spear the same way he’d been killed by Caligula. He’d have to go through that again?

 

They reached the room Hunding had pointed at him, Mallory walking through first with Jason following. The room looked like a mix of a rec room and a common dining room, with a table with multiple chairs around it and filled with snacks, couches around the room and a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Most chairs around the table were occupied as who he assumed were the other residents of the floor surrounded what looked like a game of monopoly, but instead of moving forward with little figures the would stab a dagger in the square they were in.

 

“Hey Mack!” A boy wearing a blue military jacket waved. “Your turn is next!”

 

Mallory moved to plop back on her chair, picking up a card and then removing her dagger to stab it 3 squares forward. “Guys, this is our new roomie. Say hi”

 

“Won’t you introduce him?” The huge guy sitting next to her asked, his long wild hair very fitting with the hotel’s aesthetic.

 

“Mallory shrugged. “Am not his mom”

 

Jason stepped forward slowly, rubbing his arm. “Hi, I’m Jason Grace, nice to meet you”

 

The one sitting closest to him stood up, a boy with a striking resemblance to Kurt Cobain, except his hair was short and his eyes were a soul-searching grey he’d definitely seen before. “Magnus Chase, welcome aboard” So this was Chase? Jason was second guessing his initial thought after finally seeing the guy. “You already know Mallory. These are Halfborn, TJ and Alex” He gestured at the huge guy, the one in the blue jacket and another one he hadn’t seen at first with a mop of green hair.

 

“Hi” Alex said. “Just for future reference, I’m a girl until I tell you otherwise. She/her”

 

Jason blinked at her blunt introduction, but nodded. “Of course, don’t worry”

 

Alex nodded, a pleased smile on her face as she reached over the table to steal the bowl of pretzels for herself amidst the distraction of his arrival.

 

Jason turned to look at Magnus who was still standing next to him. “So, Magnus?” He asked. “Could I ask you something?”

 

Magnus tilted his head, but nodded. “Sure man, shoot it”

 

“Okay, this might sound weird but, do you know someone called Annabeth?”

 

* * *

 

Ending up in the middle of a battlefield with thousand other dead people with the cousin of Annabeth Chase who also just so happened to be a demigod of a completely different set of gods was not how Jason expected the afterlife to go by.

 

He expected Elysium, an eternity of pleasure and happiness while he waited for his friends to drop by with him so they could spend afterlife together. He didn’t know why he ended up in the afterlife under jurisdiction of a completely different god. Hades was probably so pissed right now; or maybe not, since the Underworld _was_ kind of overcrowded, according to Nico.

 

Another twist of his stomach at the thought of his cousin. He knew Nico—and Hazel, for that matter—had felt when Leo died (and _there_ was another friend he would be thinking about all day as well), and wondered if they’d felt his death. Did they already know? Did Piper or Apollo manage to get a message across to both camps? How would his friends react to the news?

 

“Jason watch out!”

 

He saw the arrow before he heard Magnus’ shout. His instincts kicked in and he dodged in time for it to zip past his head and embed itself on the chest of the guy standing a few feet away from him, sending him down with an annoyed ‘fucks sake’ as he died like it was just another day.

 

It was, in a way.

 

Alex snickered behind him. “Nice moves, Superman”

 

“Oh I haven’t been called that in a while” Jason threw back, dodging more arrows, axes and a table leg thrown his way. This people really knew how to single out new blood.

 

He should have felt conflicted about having to fight in this battlefield, but the truth was this wasn’t that much different from the War Games they would have at Camp Jupiter; people used to die there quite often, as the games pulled all the stops to prove your worth as a warrior. Having to kill people though, he’d have to get used to that. Magnus had told him he still didn’t like it, as his focus was more on healing and making sure people _didn’t_ die. Jason wondered if it had been the other way around Magnus would’ve been a child of Apollo.

 

“Haven’t we lasted a bit too long already?” Magnus yelled over the battle screams and cursing of people dying left and right.

 

“I wouldn’t worry about that!” Halfborn shouted back from Jason’s left, firing arrows towards a group huddled together half a mile away. “It’s Thursday!”

 

The comment was so out of place Jason momentarily lost his focus. “Thursday? What’s that mean?”

 

Alex pointed upwards. “It means that!”

 

Just as Jason looked up, a dragon the size of the Argo II landed on him.

 

* * *

 

Waking up laying on his bed in his new room wasn’t even a shock at this point, considering how he shouldn’t even be existing anymore after a dragon butt turned him into play-doh, but he still was around after the spear to the back, so he was willing to believe anything.

 

Someone knocked at his door, softer that Mallory had done but still with a firmness that made him march to the door as soon as he got up.

 

Outside his door stood the same girl who had pulled him—or his soul—from the ship where he had died. Her scarf was down on her neck, her brown hair spilling down her shoulders. She kept the same frown/grimace she had when carrying him through the sky when looking at him.

 

“Jason Grace” She greeted with a nod. “I’ve come to take you to the Feast Hall”

 

Jason hadn’t been there yet, Hunding saying he’d be taken for dinner so no point in showing him; he supposed it was dinner time already. “Uh, sure, but first of all, can I ask who are you?”

 

The girl blinked wide eyes at him, as if just realizing she hadn’t introduced herself. “Ah, sorry about that” Suddenly she looked much more approachable, and Jason felt more at ease about her. She reminded him of Reyna. “I’m Samirah al-Abbas, your Valkyrie” She said. “You can call me Sam”

 

“You’re the one who brought me here”

 

Sam sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Yes, I picked up your soul from your dying body and brought you to Valhalla” Her conflicted expression came back while she said this.

 

Jason wanted to put a hand on her shoulder, but felt it was best if he didn’t. “Is...something wrong about that?”

 

She hummed. “Probably” She didn’t elaborate. “Come on now, we’ll be late”

 

She took him down the elevator and through enough turns and halls to convince Jason she could find her way through the Labyrinth easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

Jason was grateful he’d dined in halls where fauns and nymphs flitted around the tables, as it made it much easier to accept the flying Valkyries, the giant tree, the milk-dripping goat and the waterfall in the middle of the room. He could see the others from floor 19 waving at him from the table they occupied, but Samirah brought him to another one, empty near a long table that most likely sat important people.

 

“You are the only einherji today” Sam noted as she sat down next to him. “I was hoped someone else would be here, to take pressure off us”

 

Jason chose to ignore the pressure comment; people here seemed to be as cryptic as the oracles. “Inwhat?”

 

“Einherji” She repeated slowly. “Inhabitant of Valhalla. The plural is einherjar”

 

In that moment a group of people busted into the room, talking loudly and laughing and palming each other in the back heartily. They walked towards the big table and sat down. The seat—throne—in the middle remained empty.

 

One of them, whom Jason realized was Helgi, stood up and addressed the whole room. “Einherjar! Valkyries! Welcome to another fantastic end of another fantastic day! I know you are raging to tear into your Saehrimnir, but first we must welcome our new arrival” He gestured towards Jason, and then the entire hall was looking at him expectantly.

 

Samirah looked down at her hands, clutching the hem of her shirt until her knuckles turned white.

 

Helgi bellowed once more. “Then, let’s begin the presentation!”

 

A holographic screen materialized in front of the tree, the image flickering a few times before tuning into a scene that turned Jason’s blood to ice.

 

It was a view from above of the Julia Drusilla the Twelve, the ship Caligula had been in when they got captured. The camera moved around in the sky, unable to look inside and only catching the movement of pandai and mercenaries on top—and the screams of pandai they couldn’t see getting their hearts ripped off—until an explosion shook the air and made Samirah lose her balance for a moment, the image shaking with the force. The explosion, the one Jason had made to free him and Meg from the Venti, had split the ship in two, giving Sam a way to look into and reach the throne room. Jason saw Meg fell through the hole in the side, followed by Crest the pandos jumping after her, and then Sam had moved in, peering into the room while the fight started.

 

He saw Apollo clutching his chest, blood staining his shirt as Medea stood by him, making sure he didn’t die before she killed him. He saw Piper, getting up from the floor as blood dribbled from her mouth, a huge bruise all over her jaw. He saw himself, arrows embedding themselves into his limbs as he fought Caligula on top of Tempest.

 

The hall watched the scene entranced. Whether it was from the surprise of the explosion, the horse made of storms, the inhuman creatures or just the thrill of the fight Jason didn’t know. They seemed to be keenly following his sword, though.

 

Then it happened. Jason had made eye contact with Apollo, and had used the chance to shout at him to leave, and to remember his promise. He could hear his voice clearly, still over the distance. In that extra second he repeated the words to Apollo, Caligula rounded up behind him, and the hall gasped as his spear drove into his back.

 

At that moment the camera zoomed in into the scene, except it wasn’t zooming in; it was Samirah flying in and stretching her hand out to him. Jason gaped as he saw himself—his _soul_ —leave his body and grasp her hand unconsciously. Then she was pulling him up and away.

 

The screen faded to black, and the screen disappeared. The hall broke into applause and hollering, but Jason felt as if another dragon—one maybe smaller, made of bronze—had squashed him again. The people on the big table were muttering with each other, nodding in agreement. Finally Helgi got up again.

 

“Magnificent!” Helgi clapped. “Truly a hero worthy of Valhalla. We’re sure you will be a mighty warrior once Ragnarok comes, Jason Grace!” He looked towards the empty throne, where now two ravens were perched. “Does Odin wish to intercede?”

 

The throne remained empty.

 

“All right!” Helgi turned to Jason once more. “Jason Grace, do you know your parentage?”

 

Samirah winced next to him, hunching in on herself.

 

Jason seemed at a loss all of a sudden. “My…my parentage?”

 

Helgi nodded. “Indeed. Are you a mortal, or were you born from a god?”

 

Jason waited for a moment, then nodded, lifting two fingers to mean the second option.

 

“Excellent! Then by all means, reveal your godly parent”

 

The whole hall went silent, looking at him expectantly.

 

Samirah said something under her breath he was sure she’d get her mouth washed for saying at home.

 

Jason gulped. “My godly parent” His voice reverberated through the hall. “Is Jupiter, King of the Roman gods”


	2. A Reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for the reviews! if i dont answer all of them is because i really dont know what to say i just love all of you i reread them all over and over again lmao, and im glad to be of use for all of you in denial with me! :DDDDDD

There wasn’t even a second of silence. The entire hall erupted in whispers and questions, the oldest wondering what the hell was this boy talking about and the newest looking at him in bewilderment. One boy even asked loud enough to be heard across the room _‘you mean there’s MORE than just us dealing with this fuckery out there?!’_

 

“Keep it down Erik” Helgi claimed.

 

“Of course his name is Erik” Magnus commented casually.

 

The attention turned back to Jason, who was wondering if maybe he should’ve lied. When had something good ever come from being Jupiter’s son anyway.

 

Helgi actually walked down from the table and made his way to stand in front of them. His eyes quickly found Samirah, who was now sitting straight and meeting the man’s eyes.

 

“Samirah al-Abbas” Helgi started. “This is not the first time your judgement regarding einherjar has been put in doubt” He turned to Jason. “This demigod you have brought, while having died in honorable battle and holding a weapon, should not be here at all. He is not even our jurisdiction!”

 

Jason frowned. “Jurisdiction? Are you talking about Elysium?”

 

Helgi nodded. “Indeed. Being a Roman demigod, your soul belongs to Pluto, and should have gone to the Fields of Elysium upon your death” His eye twitches a bit. “There was one time something similar happened when a daughter of Thor wasn’t picked up by a Valkyrie on time and found herself in the Underworld. Thor threw a fit and it was 24 years of paperwork until we could finally bring her over” He turned towards the crowd. “Isn’t it right Katrina?!”

 

A figure raised from one of the farthest tables, shouting to make herself heard. “It was pretty nice down there, actually!”

 

“As you might guess” Helgi said, directing his words to both Jason and Sam this time. “That paperwork is handled by the party considered at fault. Last time Pluto hired Mercury as his lawyer and pinned the blame on us for not having a Valkyrie within range of the girl. He could definitely blame us for this one, and I really don’t want to deal with it again” He stroked his beard. “Making sure Hunding went through all the paperwork correctly was very draining for me, you see”

 

Hunding, standing behind the seat Helgi occupied, huffed and frowned, pulling a chocolate bar from somewhere in his clothes and tearing at it angrily, fingers twitching as if remembering 24 straight years of signing papers. Jason really felt bad now.

 

“Lord Helgi” Sam finally spoke, hands still twisting the hem of her shirt. “I know I made a mistake but I can explain—”

 

“Samirah” Helgi shook his head. “I know you have a very important job. I can’t tell whether what you do is of your own volition or a mission from Odin; but this is going too far”

 

Jason interrupted. “Please don’t be mad at her” He stood up. “Listen, I don’t know what this is all about either, I was expecting to be in Elysium too”

 

Sam was gesturing at him, trying to make him sit down again. “Jason, you’re not at fault here”

 

“I’m not going to let you take the fall. You were just doing your job!” Jason breathed deeply. “Look, I don’t know why you picked me up but I’m sure you had your reasons” He turned to Helgi. “I haven’t been here too long but I’ve already been put up to speed in some things; one of those being Sam bringing someone she shouldn’t have not long ago, which cost her her job”

 

On the table where the floor 19 gang sat, Magnus turned to face the hall, doing a very bad imitation of the royal wave from Princess Diaries.

 

“But” Jason continued. “That seemingly ‘wrong choice’ actually set Ragnarok back a few centuries. With that kind of track record I wouldn’t be so fast with any judgement on her”

 

Helgi hadn’t broken eye contact, lips pursed as he heard Jason make his point. “How did Jupiter produce such a sensible child” He muttered to himself, and Jason almost let himself snicker. Glad to know his father’s reputation crossed all kinds of borders. Helgi shook his head. “Regardless, it’s only a matter of time before Pluto comes knocking on our door. I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate one of his souls being stolen”

 

“Actually, the Underworld is kind of packed right now. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind” Jason added offhandedly.

 

Helgi blinked at him. “How do you know that, boy?”

 

Jason shrugged. “Couple of my friends are children of Hades and Pluto”

 

Helgi looked at him as if he were imagining what children of Hela would look like, and didn’t seem to like the idea any more than 24 years of supervising someone else do his paperwork. “Jason Grace, I appreciate your input in the matter, but rules are rules. Samirah must be held at the same level of responsibility than any other Valkyrie. After all, there is one thing the All-Father always says—“

 

“That he loves a dramatic entrance?”

 

The voice that spoke came from behind Helgi, from a man Jason swore up and down wasn’t there a second ago. It also seemed he was the only one taken back, as Helgi merely rolled his eyes, Sam sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, and the rest of the hall was divided between laughing and groaning.

 

The man was sitting in the throne that until a moment ago had been empty. He was as huge as you would expect from the ruler of warriors, with neatly cropped hair and a great square beard. He had an eyepatch over his left eye and the one that was visible was brimming with what Jason would call a self-satisfied joy from pulling that entrance.

 

Jason looked at Sam. “ _Odin?_ ” He mouthed.

 

“ _Odin_ ” She mouthed back, standing up and kneeling as everyone else did so. Jason didn’t know what to do so he stayed as he was.

 

“My heroes! It’s so nice to see you again!” Odin bellowed, opening his arms wide. “These past couple of weeks without seeing your happy, bloodthirsty faces have been tough!”

 

Helgi cleared his throat. “All-Father, we are extremely honored to have you among us once again” He turned halfway to Jason and Sam. “As you might already know—“

 

“Yes, I know everything”

 

“We know, My Lord. As I was saying,” Helgi had an expression that reminded Jason too much of Chiron when dealing with the youngest campers at Camp Halfblood. “You might already know, but Samirah has brought someone from the Roman jurisdiction”

 

Odin nodded, smiling wide and walking forward to slam a hand that felt like the very familiar weight of a brick on Jason’s shoulder. “Indeed! Jason Grace, son of Jupiter! You know, one time I invited you father over to Jotunheim for a bit of bowling—no one has better alleys than those giants—and he looked so strung up, I decided to play a little prank on him, so I put some glamour on Mimir’s head and—“

 

“All-Father” Helgi interrupted.

 

Odin nodded, surprising Jason with how well he took being subtly told to get on with it. Jupiter would’ve blasted Helgi by now. “All this has a very good explanation. Samirah al-Abbas” He said, turning to the Valkyrie. There was a moment of silence. “Why did you bring this boy with you to Valhalla?”

 

The sound of thousands of simultaneous hands hitting their owners’ forehead in chorus reached down to Jason.

 

“Y-You don’t know?!” Mallory shouted from her seat, standing up. Halfborn pushed her back down.

 

Odin looked at her in confusion, for once. “Well, no. This was not one of my missions” He moved to instead wrap his arm around Jason’s shoulders. “But I trust Samirah! I know whatever her reasoning was, it was justified. I’m sure we can come to an agreement with Pluto. He might not like to admit it, but paperwork is just as annoying to him, even when he is not the one doing it!”

 

“Why does everyone who isn’t doing the paperwork keep complaining about the paperwork?” Alex commented from her seat, raising her hand to catch the chocolate bar Hunding threw her way.

 

“All-Father” Sam finally spoke, standing next to Odin and an increasingly uncomfortably looking Jason still in his hold. “Thank you for your understanding, but I’m ready to take the blame for my decision. I _did_ pick up Jason Grace’s soul for a reason, but it’s not like what happened the last time with Magnus Chase” She tapped the tips of her fingers together. “It was more of a…selfish decision, to be honest”

 

Alex fake-gasped, drawing a hand to her chest. “Samirah! You are _engaged_ , young lady!” she chortled.

 

Magnus elbowed her through his own snorting.

 

Sam’s cheeks flared up “Alex!” She ignored the whistling from the other tables, sighing as she slid a hand down her face. Jason felt this situation had happened more often than she’d liked. “Truth is, I was in the zone for one of Lord Odin’s assignments”

 

“Ah, the one with the lobster?” Odin asked casually.

 

“Yes” Sam didn’t elaborate further. It was probably better she didn’t. “What was happening in that place was…It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Dozens of ships appearing out of nowhere, one after the other, blocking up the entire bay while weird monsters walked the decks”

 

“Pandai” Jason supplied. “Like the ones from the video”

 

Sam nodded. “I don’t know why, but I felt a pull towards one of the ships. I noticed most of them were in disarray, as if someone had stormed through to get to this specific one, and I knew something demigod related might have been happening”

 

Jason couldn’t help the little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ‘Storming’ was a good way to put how he and Meg rushed through Caligula’s yachts, especially with the thunder that kept cracking after him.

 

“I turned my camera on just in case and stayed nearby to see what happened” Sam continued. “I kept feeling that something big was going to happen, when suddenly the ship exploded and broke in half, letting me see inside. I knew immediately the people inside were demigods, but not like ours”

 

“And a god” Jason added without thinking. Sam and Helgi turned towards him, brows furrowed.

 

“What?” Helgi asked, taken back by the sudden comment. Odin just nodded, as if he had already heard all the hot gossip.

 

Jason shrank under Odin’s arm still around his shoulders. “Three demigods and a god. The guy with the bloody shirt was Apollo, god of the sun…and medicine…and poetry…and I could keep going”

 

Alex slapped Magnus’ arm. “You went on a yacht trip without me?”

 

“Hey I don’t look anything like that guy!” Magnus pouted, rubbing the spot he’d been hit. “And I’m not a god”

 

Halfborn nodded. “And your poetry sucks”

 

“Anyway!” Sam got the attention back to her. “After realizing they were not our demigods, I was about to turn around and leave, but that’s when I saw closer what was going on and could see their faces and--” She stopped there, rubbing her arms and looking off into the distance. “And I felt like it was not yet his time”

 

The hall had gone silent, not a witty comment from the floor 19 gang, not a whisper from the farthest tables. Heidrun’s milk dripping from the goat’s udders from the Laeradr tree was the only sound you could hear.

 

Helgi looked at her empathetically. “Samirah, I understand where you’re coming from, but this was not your call” He looked at Odin, who nodded at him. “I will not take your job, as I know it won’t keep you away from the affairs of the gods and it would only put you more at risk, but I will relieve you of your duties as a Valkyrie for some time. You can still work for the All-Father, but reaping souls is out of bounds for you for the time being”

 

Sam nodded, looking down. “Thank you, Lord Helgi”

 

Odin finally released Jason, ignoring the relieved sigh from the boy. “You are also still allowed to come and go to and from the hotel as you please. Your friends will want you around as much as possible, I’m sure” As if on cue, the floor 19 gang got up and whoo’ed loudly, raising their intertwined hands in a cheering chain.

 

Sam laughed, wiping at the corner of her eyes. “I will, All-Father. Thank you”

 

“Very well then!” Odin addressed the room, walking back to his throne. “Now that we have settled this matter, eat up, everyone!” He was answered with hollering from every corner as conversation and general noise from dinner resumed.

 

Jason was led to the table the others were seating at by Sam, who sat him down between Mallory and TJ, and slumped into her seat to let her forehead meet the table. Alex patted her hair in a mock attempt at comforting, but Sam let her.

 

“So that’s why you asked me about Annabeth” Magnus wondered. “I thought I had heard your name before, but she told me so much about her quests I guess some info just gave me the slip. She also mentioned some mortals are able to see through the glamour and help in quests so I supposed you might’ve been one”

 

Jason scratched the back of his head, suddenly a bit embarrassed. “Yeah, sorry for not telling you guys earlier. I was—still am really confused about all this. It didn’t cross my mind to mention I’m a demigod too, or my dad for that matter” The last part was said through pursed lips. Jupiter was nothing to be bragging about, really.

 

Mallory patted his shoulder sympathetically. “I feel you. My mom’s nothing to go on about either”

 

“And who is she?”

 

“Frigg” She shrugged. Jason reared back.

 

“The Queen of Asgard?” He gaped.

 

Mallory hummed. “So you saw the Marvel movie too, huh?”

 

TJ suddenly snorted, leaning forward a bit to have both Jason and Mallory on sigh. “So you guys are like a prince and a princess?”

 

Alex successfully spit all the mead she was drinking all over Magnus’ face.

 

Before he could blink there was a dagger in front of Jason’s face, pointing at TJ like it was a well-practiced move.

 

“Call me a princess one more time” Mallory threatened, but it was obvious being killed daily rendered it useless as TJ only smiled wide and leaned back in place and out of her sight.

 

Halfborn laughed merrily and hugged Mallory with one arm to bring her back down. “It’s good to see you so animated after all this, but let’s save that energy for tomorrow’s battle, eh Mack? I heard the old coots from floor 178 got themselves some exploding arrows!”

 

Jason thanked the flying girl who set a filled plate and a mug of a hot milky drink in front of him, and decided he was too tired and hungry to interrupt Mallory’s attempt at stabbing both TJ and Halfborn at the same time around him.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey Jason, do you have anything planned for tomorrow?” Magnus asked him as they all made their way back to their rooms.

 

Jason tilted his head. “Other than being dead, not much. Why?”

 

Magnus grinned. “Me and Alex are gonna meet some of my friends in Boston about a project we’re working on. Valhalla owes me some favors so I was thinking of asking Helgi if you could leave the hotel with us for a while”

 

Jason stopped in his tracks. “Boston? As in, _Boston_?”

 

Magnus nodded. “Everyone in the floor has especial permission to come and go between Valhalla and Midgard as we please, except if you die out there you die for real; no coming back here”

 

Jason was flabbergasted. No one had told him that! “And people can see you and hear you? You don’t become ghosts?!”

 

“Nope! It’s just like being alive again. You can even travel around if you want”

 

The thought of making his way down to Long Island or San Francisco to see his friends immediately crossed Jason’s mind. “I-I mean, sure, if…if I’m allowed to…”

 

Was this why Sam had decided reaping his soul for Valhalla was justified? Did she mean that by ‘not yet his time’? This weird chain of events had indeed granted him the chance of seeing his friends again, talk to them and hug them, even say goodbye if needed be. All the confusion that had been clouding his brain all day suddenly vanished, replaced by the ticklish feeling of anticipation his thoughts brought him.

 

Magnus stopped once they reached his door. “Great! I’ll make sure to have an answer by breakfast tomorrow, but I’m sure you’ll get permission; Helgi and Odin seemed to like you” He opened his door and stepped inside, waving bye at him. “Sleep tight, and don’t worry about the squirrel”

 

“T-the squirrel?” Jason managed to get out, but Magnus’ door had already closed. He thought he heard a voice inside talking to Magnus, but he ignored it as he made his way to his own room, fishing out his rune key.

 

Lying on his bed that night, he couldn’t tell how long it had taken him to fall asleep through the nervous twisting of his gut at the idea of appearing out of thin air in front of the people who had seen him die. Was this how Leo had felt?

 

He _did_ do a pretty good job at ignoring the huge yelling squirrel rushing past his window.

 

* * *

 

 

“Aw, I wanted to meet the new guy” Jack whined as he floated around Magnus. “Whoever his sword is felt nice, like he has a shiny personality or something”

 

Magnus hummed, riffling through his minibar. “I think he uses a golden sword called a 'gladdy us' or something. Didn’t get a good look at it before the dragons appeared”

 

Jack glowed golden, as if trying to measure up to the so called sword made of gold. “Why didn’t you let me out at the hall? That drama sounded better than the novelas Thor watches on Mjolnir”

 

“I didn’t expect it to go down like that, I was too stunned to think about summoning you” Magnus said, cracking open a can of soda. He took out his phone and scrolled through the contacts. “Anyway, I need to go over some last minute details about the Chase Space with Annabeth if we’re signing it off tomorrow. Gimme a moment” He hit the call button, leaning against the kitchen counter as his call was answered. “Hey Annie! Sorry to call you so late, just wanted to get some last minute details ready; how are you?” He stayed quiet for a moment, brow furrowing deeper as he heard his cousin speak. He stood up straight, soda forgotten as he went to sit down in the middle of his grass field. “Annie? Are you okay?” He asked her after a moment. “Why do you sound like you’ve been crying?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ain't I a stinker
> 
> I love you sam!
> 
> alex is so fun to write omg
> 
> odin is just a huge dad with too many children whomst he loves very much
> 
> yes whatever you're thinking is gonna happen is exactly what's gonna happen this is just a feel-good fic I'm not delving too much into plot atm
> 
> edit: i dont remember SHIT from HoO i completely missed that jason's coin sword was destroyed in the first book lmao but also it had the face of julius caesar engraved???? good riddance imho im gonna kick riordan's ass what kinda foreshadowing
> 
> also as an aside but I'm absolutely making this Jason/TJ don't ask me why lmao I just feel it could work


	3. A Visit

Compared to everything that had gone down in the last couple of days, breakfast was so mundane it almost made Jason cry.

 

He had been the first of the floor to arrive, having it ingrained to rise at first light from his life at New Rome; he had chosen to sit at a table next to a wide window he hadn’t noticed the day before, the view outside completely out of place as it showed a vast open field, full of green hills and mountains and lakes. He wasn’t as concerned about it as he should have; he could recognize the enchantment as similar to the one Leo had in the walls in the lobby of the _Argo II_ , which allowed them to see Camp Half-blood.

 

The next ones to arrive were TJ and Halfborn, who were used to rising early as well but took longer to get ready since Jason didn’t feel the need to wear full military garb or 30 different axes and knives.

 

TJ sat next to him after filling his plate, Halfborn taking longer as he expertly piled every single thing from the breakfast buffet on his. “Morning Jason! How was your first night?”

 

Jason took a long gulp of milk to swallow the brownie he’d been chowing down. “Pretty good, to be honest. The squirrel was a surprise but not as bad as the harpies back home”

 

Halfborn plopped down on a seat in front of them, the food on his plate wobbling dangerously. “Oh, I met a couple of harpies on a quest to Iowa once. Lovely ladies. Wanted to stuff me with corn and slow-roast me”

 

Jason hummed. “Sounds about right”

 

The door opened once more, Mallory striding in with Alex behind holding onto her shirt, yawning. They waved at them before heading straight for the food, Alex placing the whole coffee pot on her tray.

 

“Gods, what’s the point of being dead if I can’t even sleep in” Alex whined as she joined them, leaning her back against Halfborn and resting her feet on the empty chair next to her.

 

Mallory took the last free space next to TJ. “Give it a couple decades, you get used to it”

 

Alex pursed her lips. “That’s easy for you to say, all of you were used to it alive”

 

“Not everyone” TJ said, pointedly looking at the empty chair Alex’s feet were occupying.

 

“Is Magnus usually the last one up?” Jason asked.

 

Mallory shrugged. “Eh, it’s between him and Alex, depends on how much he used Jack the day before”

 

Jason blinked. “Jack?”

 

Magnus chose that moment to make his entrance, a wad of papers in his hands. He went straight to the table and with perfect coordination sat down in the leftover chair exactly when Alex took her feet off it. He set the papers down and slid them towards Jason.

 

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. I went to Helgi’s office to ask him about you coming with us, Jason” Magnus said, a bit out of breath as if he’d rushed throughout the hotel. He tried to steal a piece of toast from Alex’s plate and got his hand promptly slapped away. “Ow. He said since you haven’t gone in any quest here yet you have to sign these so he’s not responsible in case you die or something”

 

Jason leafed through the papers. “And I have to sign all this?” His wrist throbbed in advance.

 

“Just the last one” Magnus pointed out. “The others are about the different kinds of maiming Valhalla Insurance doesn’t cover” He winced at the number of sheets in the stack, pulling a pen out of his pocket and handing it to Jason. “They sure get imaginative with that sort of thing”

 

Jason sighed, taking the pen he was offered, and went straight to the last page to sign it. Whatever the rest talked about couldn’t be worse than what he’d been going through since his mother dumped him at the Wolf House. Besides, it seemed like a really low price for going back among the living and seeing everyone again.

 

As soon as he was done a raven flew into the room and snatched the stack from Jason’s hands, flying away without a peep.

 

Magnus stared after it. “Couldn’t you have brought them in and saved me the trip in the first place?!” He shouted after the bird, huffing as he face planted on the table. Alex fell merciful enough to nudge her coffee pot towards his head.

 

“Go get some real food so we can leave already” Alex poked him in the ribs. “We can get falafel on the way back”

 

“You sure have a way with words, huh” Magnus straightened up, standing to get some actual breakfast.

 

Jason silently watched the interaction between them, assessed the way Alex looked at him as he left the table, noted how her placing her feet on the chair was clearly saving the spot for him next to her, and left his face carefully neutral at realizing he’d be third wheeling those two the entire day.

 

* * *

 

Jason zipped up the jacket he’d gotten from his closet, the clothes just appearing in his room like everything else in it. He had never been to Boston before, and the cold was biting his cheeks and reddening the tip of his nose by the second.

 

It was surreal, walking down the street as if it was any other day and not the day after his death. Feeling the wind against his face, the sun peeking every now and then through the clouds, a dog barking at them as they walked past a house.

 

“Oh, let’s stop here a second” Alex said, holding Magnus’ arm to halt him. She rushed inside a store before they could answer.

 

Magnus smiled at her as she went inside, but didn’t make to follow. Instead, he turned towards Jason. “It’s a pottery store she likes. She’s gonna take a while, let’s wait over there” He walked them over towards a bench by the sidewalk, sitting down and sighing happily. Jason knew he really liked being back in Boston, but he seemed downright blissed out at being back home.

 

Jason sat next to him, rubbing his hands together. He should’ve brought the gloves his closet kept launching at his face.

 

They stayed quiet for a moment, just enjoying being relatively alive for the day. Jason still had many things he would’ve liked to ask about, the raven from breakfast for example, but he didn’t feel like it was the right moment.

 

Magnus shifted in his seat and turned to look at Jason, eyeing him critically before clearing his throat. “So, I called Annabeth last night”

 

Jason looked at him, surprised. “You can do that?” He elaborated. “I mean, we could never have phones or computers or anything like that, they amplify our presence to monsters or something…also, last I knew the whole mess with Apollo cut off all our ways of communication”

 

“Yeah, she told me that, but apparently she can get calls as long as I’m the one dialing, or I can send messages by raven too. And I guess our monsters are different, they don’t really mess with us unless we go looking for them” Magnus answered. “Except the giants, they just want to eat us”

 

Jason whistled. “Wow, that’s amazing” He said. “Not-not the part of the giants wanting to eat you, that’s awful. I hate giants”

 

Magnus snickered. “You know, we never really acknowledge it, but Alex and Sam are part giant. They’re daughters of Loki”

 

“Loki like, the movie one?”

  

“Oh, if only” Magnus sighed. “He’s terrible. Almost blew my head off once. Alex had to decapitate me to avoid it”

 

“I really haven’t seen half of what happens in Valhalla, huh”

 

“Not even close” Magnus leaned his head back, arms spreading over the back of the bench. “Annie sounded really bad on the phone”

 

Jason slid closer. “Is she okay? Did something happen?”

 

Magnus looked at him, amused but also serious, and a tad sad. “She didn’t tell me, but I think I can guess what it was” He looked at Jason up and down, smile turning to a serious face. “It’s you, I’m sure”

 

Jason looked at him, frowning, then turned his gaze to the floor. Of course. “I would like to know what happened after I died. I’m guessing Piper or Apollo are already at Camp Jupiter if they managed to get the news. There was some part of a prophecy saying about an attack there, so they must’ve gathered to fight it off”

 

Magnus hummed. “You know, Annabeth and her dad were looking for me when I died, and then I met her when I was visiting my own coffin” He shuddered. “It still creeps me out. The thing is, I had the chance to talk to her and let her know what had happened to me; heck, I even asked her to help me with sailing a ship for my last quest. She brought Percy to help us”

 

“You met Percy too?” Jason grinned. How funny it was their lives were so intertwined even after death?

 

“Yeah, me and Alex. Nice guy. Killed me once” Before Jason could ask what he meant he continued. “The thing is, you’re here now. You could see them, if you really want to”

 

Jason looked at his hands, deep in thought. Of course he wanted to, he wanted to see his friends and family more than anything. But he was scared as well; he was dead, he was in Valhalla. Could he see them again? What would happen after they died and went to Elysium together, and he was still stuck in the Viking afterlife without them?

 

“I have a couple of friends living nearby, they could help us travel where you need to go” Magnus said. “We could bring everyone, if you want. We’re due to have everyone meet”

 

That didn’t sound bad. Magnus and Alex had already met Percy and Annabeth, and the world hadn’t imploded.

 

Alex came back from the store at that moment, arms full of bags. “I don’t understand how they don’t stock white clay in Valhalla. I have to get everything myself, I swear”

 

Magnus stood up, taking half the load Alex was carrying. “Have fun in there?”

 

Alex handed him the bags without fuss, taking Magnus’ free hand in her own. “Yeah, they gave me a coupon” She waited for Jason to stand up as well before starting walking again. “Said no one has ever bought that much clay at once”

 

Magnus was positively beaming, and it wasn’t an exaggeration either; Jason could swear he was literally glowing as he looked down at his hand twined with Alex’s. He didn’t know what was going on with those two. Were they dating? Very friendly? None of them had mentioned anything about a relationship and Jason didn’t want to pry; it was none of his business. He knew Halfborn and Mallory were dating and had broken up and gotten back together, which was very common for immortals, it seemed.

 

They kept walking, passing by what looked like a statue of a man who Magnus described as ‘the Viking with the Metal Bra’, which was a very good description. A tall ancient looking building came into view, standing out from the other equally or slightly less old buildings. It had gargoyles on the roof and Magnus had said it was six floors, but it somehow looked even bigger from the outside. It gave Jason the creeps and he suddenly understood why none of the Chase children wanted to live there.

 

“Here we are” Magnus announced to his two-people public. “Home sweet home, or whatever”

 

“Let’s get inside already, I want some chocolate” Alex clearly had no time for Magnus to start a tour for the newcomer, and started pulling him inside after her, Jason hot on their heels.

 

They forwent the main entrance, instead walking around to enter through the kitchen. All of Alex’s bags found their way to the breakfast table while she hurried to dig through the pantry for either chocolate bars or hot chocolate. Magnus gestured for Jason to follow him as he walked out into the dining hall, passing by several ancient artifacts and weapons in display. The entrance hall that lead to the main doors was bigger than the Zeus cabin, and furnished with sofas and loveseats that appeared taken straight out of an Edgar Allan Poe book. Magnus lead him up all six floors, pointing out rooms he planned to turn into bedrooms, the library, what used to be his uncle’s office and all the changes he wanted to make to turn it into a safe haven for the homeless youth of the city.

 

“We’ll sell all the old stuff my uncle collected, and use the money to keep the place running and to help whoever needs it. This place is way too big for one person, it’s not fair to keep it like that just for us when we won’t even be here” Magnus explained, leading up the final set of stairs towards the roof deck.

 

Jason took in the sight of the city from the deck. “This is amazing Magnus. I couldn’t even begin to know how to do all that”

 

“Annabeth is helping a huge deal” Magnus explained. “She’s not only giving up the place to us, she also laid out a whole renovations plan and budget. If it weren’t we’re all put off by this place I’m sure she’d come rebuild the place herself”

 

“Well, she already rebuilt all of Olympus, this would be piece of cake for her” Jason laughed at Magnus astonished expression.

 

“God, there’s so much she left out” Magnus laughed as well. They sat down on the lounge chairs, talking about their quests and crazy meetings with different gods and creatures, and all the plans Magnus had for the manor, how Alex was his main collaborator for the project since they both had been homeless and wanted to help others in the same situation.

 

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask” Jason asked warily. “What’s up with you two? Are you together?”

 

Magnus’ rubbed the back of his neck, nose reddening slightly. “It’s complicated. Like, there’s something there, we both know it. But Alex said, and I quote, she ‘doesn’t know’” He breathed a laugh, running his hand down his face. “I guess she doesn’t want to make anything too definitive. She’s like, the physical embodiment of fluidity and change. I’m okay with it though, I’m just glad to be around her”

 

As if summoned, the door opened and Alex walked out, a tray with three steaming mugs on her hands. She sat down in the same chair next to Magnus, setting the tray down and handing a mug of steaming hot chocolate to each of them.

 

“So, how was boy time up here?” She asked, already downing the drink.

 

Jason shrugged. “Oh, you know, talking about home improvement and family gossip. Boy stuff”

 

Alex hummed. “I’ll join you next time. We could upgrade to flower arrangements”

 

“Oh, maybe I could do that” Magnus said. “Do you think I could make flowers grow? I know it’s more springy than summery, but some flowers bloom in summer, right?”

 

“Maggie, at this point I can’t imagine what you _can’t_ do”

 

“Can you fly?” Jason asked, smirking.

 

Magnus frowned. “No, I can’t do that” He pouted. “The Valkyries can, though. Sam has flown me places sometimes”

 

“I can fly” Alex added. “If I turn into something with wings”

 

Jason’s chocolate almost fell back into the mug. “You can shapeshift?”

 

“Yeah, me and Sam. Any animal we want”

 

“I have a buddy who’s a shapeshifter. He likes to turn into a bulldog to sleep”

 

Alex laughed loudly, falling back into the chair without spilling a drop of her drink.

 

The next few hours flew by with Alex and Magnus taking inventory of everything in the house they hadn’t counted yet, Jason occasionally being asked to fly up if something was very high up and there wasn’t a ladder at hand—though they all new Alex just wanted to see him fly, she could just as easy get up there.

 

“He’s like the lovechild of Superman and Captain America” She whispered in awe, watching him dusting the chandelier in the living room.

 

“Like what I thought Thor would look like, honestly” Magnus nodded in agreement, wiggling his fingers. “With the lightning and all”

 

Jason descended gracefully—pun fully intended—to land in front of them. “I think that was the last one” He looked up at the various other fixtures and decorations placed high on the walls he’d cleaned as well.

 

Magnus checked off something at the bottom of the notepad he was carrying. “Yep, we’re totally finished for today, and just in time for lunch”

 

“Good luck we left early” Alex said, already making her way to the kitchen. “Let’s drop off my stuff with Hunding and we can go get your falafel”

 

“Yes!” Magnus fist pumped, following after her with Jason by his side.

 

Once outside Magnus took a detour towards a fancy, new looking store with catchy outfits on display, the sign reading _BLITZEN’S BEST_ in loopy, elegant letters. Jason thought maybe it was a shortcut, as it definitely wasn’t the kind of clothes Magnus or Alex wore—there was nothing on sight in the particular pink/green combo she was wearing—but then Magnus strode in as casually as he walked into his room in Valhalla.

 

Inside, the shop was tastefully decorated, with low lights and walls a deep maroon raising into a vaulted ceiling. Dozens of mannequins in positions that seemed more akin to combat than daily life were displayed across the store, not a single piece of clothing repeating twice. Jason would’ve also sworn he saw the familiar glint of metal peeking from under a jacket.

 

Magnus headed straight towards the main desk, waving cheerfully at a tall, young man with pale blonde hair.

 

“Sup Hearth” Alex walked up to him as well, hands moving along with her words. The man, Hearth, answered back in even faster, more fluid hand gestures.

 

Oh.

 

“I can’t sign” Jason said to her, half hiding behind her. Which, honestly, looked ridiculously funny with his 6’1 against her 5’7.

 

Hearth smiled at him, waving him over with one hand while signing something with the other.

 

“He says not to worry” Magnus translated for him, still signing as he spoke. “He can read lips, and we can translate for you”

 

“You will learn, though. All of us did eventually” Alex added, patting Jason’s shoulder.

 

Jason hurried over to him, offering his hand for a shake, only for Hearth to casually push it aside, offering his own for a fist bump instead. Jason grinned and complied, feeling immediately more comfortable.

 

“Hey, is Blitz here?” Magnus asked.

 

Hearth nodded, raising a finger for them to wait while he walked towards a subtly placed door by the back of the store. Alex walked through the mannequins, checking underneath the fabric for what Jason could now definitely see as armor.

 

“Blitz is a specialist in functional fashion. Nearly all his designs work as either armor or weapons. Sometimes both” Magnus said casually, shoving his hand in his pockets as he leaned against the desk. “He’s my cousin” He said with pride, puffing up his chest.

 

“A Chase?” Jason asked. “Or a demigod?”

 

“Demigod of sorts. Son of Freya, my dad’s twin sister”

 

Jason leaned against the desk as well, arms crossed. “What do you mean ‘of sorts’?”

 

Magnus shrugged. “He’s a svartalfar, a dwarf with Vanir blood. Hearthstone is an elf”

 

That certainly answered some questions Jason had about the young man. Not only was he incredibly pale all over, he was also really willowy and tall, almost ethereal in a way he could only describe as close to what he’d seen in nymphs and dryads, and the occasional Aphrodite or Venus child.

 

Still no idea what a Vanir was, though.

 

Hearth returned soon after with a much shorter man, shorter than Alex or even Leo walking next to him. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy pinstripe suit.

 

“Magnus! Alex! So nice to have you visit” Blitz greeted, hugging them both in turn before his eyes set on Jason. “And who’s this? Friend of yours?”

 

“Jason Grace, nice to meet you” Jason said, shaking the dwarf’s hand. He had a really strong grip, completely off-putting from what he expected from a man his size.

 

“He’s a new addition to the hotel” Alex added.

 

Blitz looked at Jason with something akin to amusement and pity at the same time. “Ah, I see. A new hero, huh? Demigod?”

 

“Son of Jupiter” Jason said.

 

Blitz flinched. “Yikes, heard of that guy. But why is a Roman demigod in Valhalla?”

 

Alex wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “Oh, that is one funny story indeed”

 

While Alex put Blitzen up to date with the telenovela going on in Valhalla, Magnus pulled Jason aside and with the help of Hearthstone started teaching him the basics of ASL. Jason was down with ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘thanks’, ‘please’ and spelling ‘Jason’ by the time Alex was done telling her very embellished version of the story, which included Jason getting up after getting stabbed to slash at Caligula with his sword before dying for good like some sort of thunder zombie.

 

Blitz looked highly dubious of that part, but kept it to himself. “That’s some rough stuff kid, but at least you had your sword in hand when it happened. I can’t imagine how much worse it would’ve been if you had been empty-handed”

 

Hearth signed after him, Alex translating for him. “Magnus dropped his sword right before he died. It was a mess”

 

Magnus scoffed. “You try to hold onto a sword with all your organs melting in tar” His pendant suddenly started glowing, and Magnus blinked down at it. “Ah, right. You guys haven’t met yet”

 

He pulled the pendant out of its chain, and in a second it had turned into a sword floating around Magnus’s face.

 

“SO rude dropping me back into the water for such a weak reason by the way” The sword said to Magnus, suddenly turning to Jason. “Wow, you look much better in person!” The sword said, and Jason was way past caring that it was talking. “Muscly, blonde, glasses, dead. The whole package! True hero material here” He moved back and forth a bit, as if nodding to himself.

 

Magnus looked down at himself, turning to Alex. “Do you think I should get glasses?”

 

Alex pursed her lips, looking at him critically. “Maybe some frameless ones”

 

Jack glowed a pinkish hue suddenly. “Oh but where are my manners, the name’s Sumarbrander, Jack for friends”

 

“Uh, nice to meet you” Jason said, nodding at him, not knowing how you greeted an armless, faceless floating talking object. Jack stood idly in front of him.

 

“Well?” He asked. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” He pointed at Jason’s bag.

 

“Your sword, Jason” Magnus helped.

 

“Oh!” Jason pulled his gladius out of his bag, which must have had some sort of spell to make it as spacious as it was unpierceable. Jack whistled appreciatively.

 

“Niiiice” He said, getting closer. “Imperial gold. Classy”

 

Blitzen cleared his throat. “Guys, you know I love your visits, but usually you invite us over to Valhalla to hang out for the whole ‘dying for real’ thing” He said the last part in air quotes and all.

 

Hearth’s face scrunched up as if he’s just licked a vinegar soaked lemon. Jason had the impression he didn’t like the hotel that much.

 

Magnus rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay, you got me” He grinned sheepishly. “We actually wanted to ask for help? Jason here would like to visit his friends in San Francisco, and I still can’t control very well how to open rifts with Jack”

 

Hearthstone brought his fist to his chin, nodding in understanding. He started signing again. Blitzen translated for Jason about how he could help them find the best spot to open the rift to get them there, but Magnus would have to cut it open. He was still drained from the last quest and needed to use his rune magic as seldom as possible.

 

“Of course. I wouldn’t want to be a bother for something like this” Jason assured him.

 

Alex stepped forward. “Hey, don’t say that. Wanting to see your friends is a perfectly good reason to magic up some portals”

 

“I know, I know. But I still wouldn’t want to be a bother; I mean, I can fly. Would take me forever, but I could” Jason shrugged. “Planes are also an option”

 

“But then you lose the chance to crash your own funeral” Alex piped in. “Where’s the panache, the pizzazz? If you come back from the dead you gotta give it a little zing, you know”

 

Jason laughed. “Oh, they would hate that” He said. “I’m in”

 

Magnus clapped. “Great! That’s settled then” He took out his phone. “We should ask the others if they want to come. It could be fun getting everyone together” He waited for Jason to give the thumbs up to the idea.

 

“Oh yeah, totally” Jason agreed. “They’re less likely to kill me again if I bring witnesses”

 

Blitzen snorted. “Almost sounds like they have experience with people coming back from the dead”

 

Jason looked at him with a completely serious face. “Oh you have no idea”

 

They finally agreed with the rest of the floor 19 to meet at Fadlan’s Falafel so Magnus could get his fill while they waited, and also so they could introduce Jason to Amir, seeing how the boy was each time more and more involved in their adventures, which had Sam very near a nervous collapse. The others took long enough that Magnus was on his third tray and counting by the time they arrived, bags at the ready for Magnus and Alex as well. Samirah, as Mallory told them, had gone on another one of Odin’s missions and would meet them later at their destination.

 

Blitzen had closed the shop for the time being and he and Hearthstone had also gotten ready for the trip, guiding them around the streets with Hearth at the front looking for places where to open a rift. They bypassed the duckling’s statue, saying it was better suited for traveling between the worlds, and walked downtown towards a very familiar statue.

 

Magnus groaned. “No way”

 

Hearth nodded, smiling sympathetically at Magnus’ annoyance. The statue of Leif Erikson, in all its metal bra glory, rose in front of them as Hearth made a beeline for it.

 

“This is the best place to travel straight to San Francisco” Blitzen said, adjusting the tie of the purple travel suit he’d changed into before leaving.

 

“I’m not going straight anywhere” Magnus muttered under his breath.

 

“I’m so fucking proud of you” Alex whispered back, wiping invisible tears from her eyes.

 

“How exactly do these portals work?” Jason asked, looking at Hearth walking around the statue as he looked for the best place to open the rift. “I have a buddy who can travel using the shadows, kinda like teleporting” He looked at the amount of people that were traveling with them, eight including him. “It drained him a lot the more people he moved. Are you guys gonna be okay?”

 

Jack glowed brightly, blinking gold and red to catch Jason’s attention. “No problem, _amigo,_ the only effort it takes is opening the gates. The amount of people coming is of no consequence”

 

Hearth nodded as well, and Jason had to remind himself his unnatural paleness was part of his elfish heritage and not the exhaustion he always saw on Nico when using his powers.

 

Hearth motioned for Magnus to step closer, pointing at the spot by the figurehead on the base of the statue shaped as the bow of a ship. Jack flew to Magnus’ hand as he stepped close, and he brought the sword down on the place Hearth pointed. Immediately the tip of the sword seemed to catch in the middle of the empty air, and then the same emptiness started twisting before his eyes and a rip appeared in front of him. The rift cut open as Magnus brought Jack down all the way, wide enough someone as tall as Hearth or as big as Halfborn would have no trouble stepping in. Jason could glimpse something big and brown moving inside the rift, whipping around slowly in the impossible space inside.

 

“There we go” Magnus said as Hearthstone and Blitzen stepped in first to make sure everything was fine and Ratatoskr wasn’t around to bother them. Magnus stepped in afterwards, reaching his hand out to Alex once he was inside. “My lady”

 

Alex brought a hand to her chest, giving the other one to Magnus in an exaggerated flourish. “Why, thank you”

 

Mallory nodded for Jason to follow. “Go on. We’ll keep the rear”

 

Jason stepped in then, almost falling when he saw he’d stepped into a gigantic branch from a tree so big he couldn’t see the top, bottom or even the circumference of the trunk. Branches just as big or even bigger than the one he was in twisted and climbed all over the place in what seemed like an interdimensional pocket.

 

“Jesus Christ” He whispered, looking around as the others walked in behind him.

 

“Don’t let Thor hear you saying that” Halfborn laughed, patting his back with enough force Jason thought he’d fall of into the nothingness below.

 

Blitzen turned once everyone was in, counting heads to make sure. “Now, Jason, any specific place in San Fran you want to go?”

 

Jason brought a hand to his chin. “Camp Jupiter, in Oakland Hills. Though I don’t know if we can just pop in; there’s a lot of magical guards protecting the place”

 

Hearthstone waved his concerns off, signing quickly at him.

 

“He says it doesn’t apply to us since we won’t be crossing any barriers. We’ll just appear right inside” Blitz translated.

 

“Yeah, we might want to be careful about that. It’s an entire legion armed to the teeth, we have to be as non-threatening as possible to not get struck on sight”

 

“I’m sure we’ll be fine” TJ said from the back of the line, rifle at the ready as always. “A good soldier assesses the situation before charging into battle. They’ll see we come in peace and will give us the benefit of the doubt, at least”

 

God, Reyna would love this guy, Jason thought. TJ really had a way with words, if his worries simmering down were any indication. Although he couldn’t really say what they would do when he stepped out of the portal; he never knew how everyone reacted to Leo appearing back at camp since Apollo had just given him the important details of it, but he was whole and well as far as he knew so he guessed they wouldn’t kill _him_ again. He hoped.

 

Hearth found a branch that would take them to their destiny and started walking off in that direction, everyone falling in an orderly line behind him like the ducklings following their mom in the statue they had visited earlier. Jason soon found himself at the back of the line, much more hesitant at walking across from his lack of experience traveling in such a way. An open hand appeared in front of his face as he was focusing on where he took every step.

 

“Here, I’ll help you along” TJ offered, grinning at the relieved sigh Jason released before taking his hand, walking more steadily now that he had someone guiding him. TJ kept his pace firm but slow enough that Jason didn’t feel like he was being hurried.

 

They jumped down some branches, climbing others, sliding down one like they were kids at the local park—Alex whooping and raising her arms gleefully, even--and, at one point, flattening themselves against the trunk of the tree when the branches above rustled violently in case the giant squirrel was nearby. Some branches narrowed down to the width of a ledge, while other were as wide as a highway. All the ups and downs made the trip seems much longer than it really was, and soon enough Hearth had stopped, gesturing for Magnus to step forward to the point where the branch forked and split in two.

 

“That’s the place” Jack said, inspecting the fork up close. “We might want to be careful, _señor_ , I feel a lot of people gathered on the other side. Plenty of swords too”

 

“We have no other option” Magnus said. “We’ll just have to appear as harmless as possible”

 

Alex looked down at her bicolored ensemble, lack of armor and weapon. “I’m good”

 

TJ shouldered his rifle. “I can’t promise anything if someone calls for a fight, you know how it is”

 

“And I can’t exactly hide these guns” Halfborn flexed his arms.

 

Magnus sighed, looking at Jack. “And I need you out of your pendant to open the rift”

 

Mallory snorted. “Honestly, just send Magnus, Alex and Hearth through first. They look like puppies, it’ll take their defenses down”

 

“Always the wisest, Mack” Magnus said, holding Jack in his hands. “Alright, here we go”

 

The process of opening the rift was very much the same from here, if only a bit easier. Sunlight shone though the opening as gasps flowed in from the other side, the unmistakable sound of swords being unsheathed filling the air. Magnus swallowed but finished opening the portal, hurrying to step through before things could escalate. More voices were heard, some shouting, some questioning, and the loudest one a very familiar voice calling out Magnus’ name in surprise.

 

That same last voice started shouting, not at Magnus, but at whoever was on the other side, telling them to stand down and fall back. Alex saw that as her cue to step out, Hearth and Blitzen following swiftly after her. The voices multiplied and got louder, and another familiar voice started talking over them as well, shouting both Magnus and Alex’s names in astonishment.

 

Soon everyone else followed, until only Jason was left to cross. Breathing deeply and arming himself with courage, he jumped through the rift and into the other side.

 

Immediately all the noise vanished. The voices stopped talking, no one was moving, and when Jason’s eyes adjusted to the light, he could make out hundreds of people in armor looking at him as if they’d just seen Death itself come for their souls. In the middle of the open courtyard, twelve purple banners with the sign of the eagle on them were perfectly aligned around a raised dais, on top of which—and Jason had to swallow down the knot that formed in his throat—an elegant wooden coffin lay.

 

His eyes focused on the group of people immediately surrounding the dais, who looked anything between shocked into paralysis and already bursting into tears. One of them in particular took a hesitant step forward, hand raised midair as if reaching for him.

 

“J-Jason?” She said, voice wavering and broken.

 

Jason laughed wetly, brushing off tears he hadn’t realized were already trailing down his face. “Hey Thals”

 

A second later, all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I channeled rick riordan master of cliffhangers himself for this one lmao you can kill me later


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> getting writer's block is my quirk

 

The sound of shoes slamming against concrete at top speed was the first thing Jason registered, way before he processed the three figures quickly approaching him through his tear-blurred sight.

  


The first one to reach him was Thalia tackling him to the ground and sending his glasses flying away, followed closely by Piper and Leo throwing themselves at him as he went down.

  


The droves of people surrounding them started clamoring loudly, calling Jason’s name and shouting unintelligible things that he couldn’t hear with the way Thalia and Piper were yelling at him, alongside with their and Leo’s loud crying right by his ears.

  


He had landed on his back, his head cushioned by Thalia’s hand while Piper and Leo clung each to one of his arms. He tried to sit up to reach them better but Thalia had landed firmly on him and was not letting him go anywhere. Jason just smiled through his own tears and resigned himself to his fate, doing his best to hug the three of them at the same time.

  


“H-How dare you” Leo managed to speak first, each word marked by a sharp sob. “D-Didn’t even w-wait for me”

  


Jason managed to reach his hand up enough to stroke Leo’s cheek. “Sorry. I’m so sorry”

  


Thalia dragged her hand all over his face, eyes flitting everywhere to make sure he wasn’t just a fever dream. “Oh my gods, _oh my gods_ ” She whispered to herself. “ _How is this happening_?”

  


Piper sat up and pulled Jason to sit with a burst of strength she didn’t know where she’d gotten, throwing her arms around his neck as soon as he was up. Her knees were rubbing red against the concrete of the courtyard, but she couldn’t feel anything other than Jason warm and solid and _alive_ in her arms, and the tears running down her face to dampen the neck of Jason’s jacket.

  


“I can’t believe it” She cried against his shoulder, repeating the words over and over again in a never-ending litany. “ _I saw you die”_

  


“I’m sorry, I know” Jason continued, nuzzling Piper’s head and kissing Thalia’s forehead. The reality of the situation finally started to sink in and his shoulders started shaking, his breathing turning ragged and uneven as his silent crying turned to loud sobbing. “ _Please_ , I’m so sorry” He didn’t know why he was apologizing for; the only thing he knew was that the truth of his death had finally reached him; the realization he might’ve never seen them again if he hadn’t been brought to Valhalla hit him like one of his father’s bolts.

  


He buried his face in Leo’s curls, taking advantage of the volume of it to muffle his cries. Piper’s hand rubbed up and down Jason’s back, taking time to process the absence of the two spear holes.

  


Footsteps around them warned Jason of more people arriving at his side, and through his tears he could see Hazel holding onto Frank’s arm to not sink to her knees from the shock, Percy looking at him in a mix of disbelief and joy, shaking his head even as tears ran down his face towards his wavy smile. He had an arm around Annabeth’s shoulder, who was covering her mouth with one hand while she clutched Magnus’ arm with the other. Reyna looked genuinely confused for the first time in all the time Jason had known her, not realizing she had started crying as well at the sight of him.

  


“What the hell is this...”

  


Jason’s head snapped towards Nico, whose eyes were almost bulging out of his head, looking frantically at Jason’s face as if it were to melt away any second. He then turned to look at Magnus, then Alex and so on for all the einherjar. Jason could tell right away what he was thinking.

  


Will Solace stepped up next to Nico and took his hand, walking him closer to the group and looking as astonished as the rest. “Nick? Is this real?” He whispered.

  


“He’s dead...” Nico said. “They all are” He looked at the others who had arrived with Jason. “But they are _here”_

  


Hazel’s voice followed after him. “So I wasn’t just imagining it either” She said absently, glancing briefly at the others before settling back on Jason.

  


Magnus squeezed Annabeth’s hand on his arm before letting her go to walk up to Jason. “Come on, I’m sure everyone wants to say hi” He held Jason from behind so he could pull him to stand without having to unlatch Thalia, Piper and Leo from him.

  


As soon as Magnus stepped back Percy quickly slammed himself against Jason’s back, hugging him as he spoke next to Jason’s ear. “Really man? Crashing your own funeral?” He laughed, ragged and wet from tears. “Gods, that’s so mainstream”

  


Jason could hear Alex snickering as well at his words, remembering her earlier comment. He couldn’t help the laugh that made his back rumble against Percy’s chest. This sure beat arriving by plane.

  


They were all surrounding him, hugging him so tight there was no way they could possibly get more people near him, but that didn’t stop them from trying. Percy pulling Nico in while Magnus pushed Annabeth towards them as well, with Frank and Hazel quickly getting into the space Leo had opened for them next to him.

  


Even Reyna didn’t fight it when Piper hugged her tight against herself, letting her reach Jason directly.

  


It was a mess. With everyone pulling him one side to the other, Jason was having a hard time keeping his balance, especially since he didn’t trust his legs to hold him up if it wasn’t for the strong grip his friends had on him.

  


“You guys are really gonna leave me out of this?” A voice whined from outside the group hug, and Thalia turned around to grin at its owner, leaving Jason enough space to see the scrunched up face of Apollo as he made grabby hands towards them. Meg McCaffrey stood at his side, arms crossed and looking around as if she had better things to do with her time than some waterworks, but Jason could see the way her hidden hands tightened around the fabric of her dress, either in nervousness or impatience, he couldn’t tell. Will Solace had stepped aside as well, leaving the main group to their reunion while he waited by his father, even with some stray tears shining on his face as well.

  


Jason laughed as his arms were released, letting him open up enough for Apollo to come crashing into him, the god repeating the same process Piper had gone through of checking his back for the deadly injuries.

  


“It really doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen this” Apollo muttered against Jason’s shoulder “Seems you mortals coming back to life feels more important when I’m one too”

  


Jason grinned. “You sure it’s not because you missed me?”

  


To his surprise, Apollo’s grip on his shirt tightened, the god almost burrowing underneath his jacket. “You saved our lives” He whispered against his shoulder. “And you’re my baby bro, of course I missed you”

  


“Oh so this is a sibling hug now?” Thalia said, wrapping her arms back around both of them. “You heard the man, guys, back up now”

  


The laugh that rippled through the group was the sweetest music Jason had heard in his life—and after.

 

* * *

 

As Magnus helped explain, the fact Jason was here in the flesh didn’t mean his mortal body wasn’t still in the coffin, and nobody wanted to open it and check so they just went ahead and finished the funeral, the air considerably lighter and at a point even filled with roaring laughter as Jason stepped up and improvised a speech about his own life.

  


As Nico went about covering the coffin with the burial shroud and lighting it up, Jason couldn’t help cracking up at Leo’s almost inaudible whisper of ‘ _godspeed you glorious bastard’_.

  


Reyna made quick work of sending the members of the legion back to their duties, and pulled everyone with her back into her quarters, which were big enough to fit everyone and give them some privacy.

  


Apollo was talking Jason’s ear off trying to catch him up with everything that happened after his...unfortunate separation, with Meg on his other side correcting him when Apollo would try to play himself up in his tale. Leo and Frank were helping Reyna make drinks for everyone in the attached kitchen, while the rest introduced themselves to the newcomers.

  


As Leo went around with a tray, dropping off mugs and glasses around the room, he reached the table where Hearth was sitting at, throwing and reading his runes.

  


“Here you go” Leo said, carefully placing an herbal infusion Blitz had asked him to make for the elf.

  


Hearth looked up at the cup being placed in front of him and smiled at the boy in thanks, stopping for a second and tilting his head in curiosity before dropping his runes and signing something at him.

  


Blitzen, always an eye on Hearth, hurried to them to translate when he stopped dead in his tracks when Leo started signing back almost as fast as the dwarf would.

  


“Nah, my ears are just pointy” Leo said as well while he signed, touching his ears self-consciously. To Blitzen’s surprise Hearth grinned, wide and bright unlike his usual small, tired smiles.

  


“Leo, you know sign language?” Jason asked, surprised as well.

  


Leo shrugged. “Hey, I’m gonna know morse code but not ASL?” He said. “He asked me what kind of elf I was”

  


Laughter echoed through the room, Leo grinning sheepishly while Hearth patted his arm. Jason let himself sink into the couch, feeling more at peace than he’d had in weeks, even before they got involved in the latest mess of the gods.

  


It was amazing how everyone clicked so easily with each other; just as he’d thought, TJ and Reyna had gotten along immediately, exchanging battle stories and comparing tactical moves with Mallory and Thalia. Magnus had been catching up with Percy and Annabeth while Alex zeroed in on Frank and asked if he really turned into a Bulldog to sleep, enabled by Hazel’s snickering at the boy’s embarrassed blush and Piper’s knee-slapping laughter. Leo had settled down with Hearth and Blitz as Halfborn joined in with his incredibly wide range of hobbies that overlapped with almost anyone’s. Nico and Will had stayed behind to make sure all the funeral offerings reached the temples properly, since Pluto’s temple wasn’t exactly the romans’ favorite place to visit.

  


Jason got startled by something landing on his lap, turning to see Meg had pushed her feet against his leg as she sat sideways, surveying the room. Jason suddenly realized before this day she hadn’t met a good chunk of the people here either, and that added to the sudden calm after the battles she’d gone through in so little time must be unsettling her, even if her usual strong exterior made a good job of covering it up. She was still just a child.

  


“How have you been, Meg?” He asked her, ignoring Apollo’s offended grumble at being thrown aside so boldly.

  


Meg shrugged, crossing her arms. “Running from evil immortals. Saving Apollo’s butt. The usual”

  


“Seems you’ve got the whole demigod business down pretty well then”

  


“Hey! Not all gods need you kids to help us all the time” Apollo interjected, suddenly feeling the heavy stares of every demigod in the room on him.”I mean...it’s very much appreciated...anyway” He mumbled at the end, shrinking in on himself and pulling his ukulele from the floor next to the couch to strum some notes.

  


“Does that give us a free pass for the next quests?” Percy asked now that everyone was in on the same conversation.

  


Magnus clasped his hands in a pleading motion. “Oh please, if I have to fight one more giant--”

“I know right?!” Piper jumped in, and it soon turned into a debate of who had beaten the hardest giant in their respective quests, which quickly led to the greeks booing at Leo when he brought up Gaea.

  


“Primordials don’t count!” Percy shouted.

  


Leo stood up on his chair. “I made her explode, that’s gotta count!” He counter-argued. “I died!”

  


“ _I_ should win, then!” Hazel added. “I fought a giant way before any of you were even born! And died!”

  


“Do I get points if the giant is my mom?” Alex piped in, cackling at the baffled look she got from half the room. It got them quiet enough they could hear the knocking coming from the door.

  


“I’ll get that” Reyna made her way through the room, opening the door and stepping aside once she saw it was Nico and Will. “Oh, hey, everything ready?”

  


“You’re gonna be cleaning petals from Pluto’s temple for the next three months” Will nodded, and then glanced sideways. “But that’s not all”

  


Nico nodded. “One of the guards at the entrance brought a girl with her, she was looking for Magnus” He looked outside the door, down the hall for whoever it was had come with them.

  


Sam appeared behind them, glancing quickly into the room—Magnus waved at her—and stepping just outside once Will and Nico had gone in. For those who didn’t know Sam, she looked the mirror image of Reyna; strong, serious, poised.

  


For those who knew her, she looked about to keel over from nerves.

  


“Good evening” Reyna greeted her first. Friend of Magnus or not, she wasn’t about to let a stranger into her home without at least knowing her name. “I’m sure you must’ve been told but I’m Reyna, the Praetor of this camp”

  


Sam nodded, her nervous gulping covered by her hijab. This girl was intimidating in a way that reminded her of Gunilla, but Reyna didn’t even have to try to command respect; it was instinct to straighten out in front of her. “My name’s Samirah. I’m a Valkyrie at the service of Lord Odin in Valhalla”

  


Reyna regarded her with curious and appraising eyes, and offered her hand to shake. She must’ve liked something in the firm grip of Samirah’s hand, since as soon as it was over she stepped aside and welcomed her inside with a smile. “Come on in then, I’m sure your friends were waiting for you”

  


Sam stepped into the room slowly, waving and greeting the ones she didn’t know, and finally taking a deep breath when she reached Alex, hanging onto her sister’s arm and resting her head on her shoulder.

  


“Everyone out there is so...” She waved her hand around, looking for the right words. “...militar”

  


Alex patted her back. “Valkyrie work seems like a party now, huh?” Sam groaned. “Come on, I’ll introduce you”

  


While Alex took Sam around the room, Annabeth followed them with her eyes, leaning into Magnus. “Is she the one you told me about? The one that picked up your soul?”

  


Magnus nodded. “Yep. And Jason’s too. We’re Valkyrie buddies”

  


Thalia had wandered over to them when Sam had appeared, curious about the newcomer and wanting to hear more about her. “Wait, so she’s the reason Jason could come back?”

  


“Pretty much. She literally didn’t have to, but she was passing by at the right moment and place and decided to take him with her” Magnus explained, shrugging, but he had a knowing smile as he took in the way Thalia was looking at Sam.

  


Thalia hummed. “What was her name again?”

  


“Samirah” Magnus said. “Just so you know, she and I are alike in that we don’t like physical contact much, but I think she’d be okay with it if you ask” He grinned.

  


She huffed, smiling. “You sure are perceptive. Truly a Chase” She snickered at the punch in the arm it got her from Annabeth.

  


When Alex and Sam came back after all proper introductions were done, Thalia stepped closer and held out her hand for Sam to shake.

  


“Samirah, right?” Thalia asked. Sam nodded. “I’m Thalia Grace, Jason’s sister”

  


Sam blinked at her, eyes wide. “Oh, I see” She seemed nervous again all of a sudden, and tried to step back, only for Thalia’s other hand to close around Sam’s, holding it in a firm yet gentle grip.

  


“Can I hug you?” Thalia asked her out of the blue, startling the Valkyrie who gaped at her for a second before nodding, face flushing pink when Thalia wrapped her arms around her. Thalia rest her forehead on Sam’s shoulder, a sigh leaving her lips. “Thank you so much” She said. “For letting me see him once more”

  


Sam bit her lip, bringing her arms up to return the hug, somehow managing to envelope Thalia even tighter. “There’s no need for that” She murmured. The room had fallen silent and her words traveled easily across the place. Thalia let out a shaky breath and Sam rubbed her back. “You know, when I picked up his soul, I didn’t really know what I was doing” She laughed softly. “Doing something like that, rescuing a soul that doesn’t have to be picked, it has brought me trouble before...but there was something pulling me to do it” She unwrapped her arms from Thalia and pushed her away a little, just enough so they could see each other face to face again. “I think I finally figured out the reason I was looking for”

  


If Thalia thought the initial meeting had left her dry, the tears blooming anew from her eyes proved her wrong.

  


“Naw, Sam, you made my sister cry” Jason teased, getting up from the couch to wrap himself around Thalia like a human blanket, the hunter latching onto him immediately.

  


“You made _everyone_ cry though” Magnus pointed out, expertly dodging the sidekick Jason threw his way.

  


“I’d guess that’s a normal reaction to a friend coming back from the dead”

  


“Oh please, you got off easy” Leo said from his spot. “When I came back to camp Nico made everyone stand in line and punch me. He even gave out numbers!”

  


Piper snorted. “No way, really?” She stepped closer to punch him in the arm, ruffling his hair as he hissed and rubbed at the spot. “I can’t believe I almost missed my turn”

  


“Oh, we didn’t get ours either” Frank said. Hazel, Reyna and Annabeth nodding along. Leo stumbled out of his chair, taking a step back.

  


“Not fair!” He shouted, dashing around the table as Frank tried to reach him. “Jason got hugs and shit! Why do I have to get the punches?”

  


“Oh don’t be a baby, everyone hugged you too” Nico waved him off. “Besides, Jason didn’t plan his death and revival without telling anyone”

  


Frank stopped chasing Leo. “Uh, Leo actually did tell Hazel and me, kinda forgot to mention that”

  


“What?!” Piper and Jason shouted in unison.

  


“There was so much to do here after the war, it slipped our minds!” Hazel raised her hands placatingly. “We didn’t know he had actually done it until he arrived with Piper just yesterday, though”

  


“And you did flip me” Leo conceded. He ignored Annabeth reaching over to fist bump Hazel.

  


“And, uh, to be fair I _did_ kind of plan my death?” Jason winced when Thalia’s head whipped back to look at him. “Not-not the coming back to life, though. But since we were told that prophecy in the Labyrinth I knew it was gonna be me, I wasn’t about to let Piper die!”

  


Thalia waited for Piper to reach them before they simultaneously double-punched him in the gut. Jason fell like a sack of potatoes, groaning.

  


“I can’t really tell if I deserved that” Jason grunted, still on his knees.

  


Leo grinned, leaning back on the table and resting his head on his hand like he was enjoying Jason’s suffering immensely. “Oh, I can”

  


Jason glared at him. “I still owe you my punch, you little zombie”

  


“Bring it, Superman”

  


“If you’re going to turn this into a goose chase then take it outside” Reyna interrupted, seeing how Jason was starting to stand up to go after Leo. “We have a very nice courtyard you can use to go after Valdez to your heart’s content”

  


“Wait why me--” Leo started to complain before all eyes turned to him, glinting in anticipation. “Ah, mierda”

  


He rushed out the door just in time for everyone—greek, roman or norse—to go after him, whooping and laughing as they started the chase.

  


The legionaries had enough sense to not question why their Praetors and their friends were rushing after the kid who had blown up their camp once. He had it coming, anyway.

  


  


  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayyyyy everyone's together again at last :DDDD lemme tell you im messing with three series here i have too many characters to juggle so next chapters some will be put aside for the sake of having more one-on-one with jason for some. same reason why i didnt give some of them that much dialogue this chapter, just too many in one place lmao
> 
> next chapter i want them to go to CHB since it's more natural there and it opens up more chances for them to take a walk and talk or smth (also TJ is gonna love all those hills lmao)
> 
> as for why pipe and leo are here even though in the burning maze leo was accompanying piper to her new home before he returned to indianapolis? (which tbh bullshit i need my boy here i am lost without him i love him) easy peasy and i will address it later: piper got the feeling she should turn around and follow apollo back to new rome so she stopped the car and flagged leo down and they both flew alongside the plane on festus
> 
> also im planning on having jupiter and pluto appear once they reach chb asfajhsgfjh
> 
> i! really! want! alex! and! leo! to! bond!!!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cant be happy with this chapter but i have to move this somehow lmao
> 
> the good parts of this story (jason in valhalla, coming back to earth and meeting up with everyone again) have already passed so i just have to wrap it up since i know how to end it, AND MAKE TJASON HAPPEN

After chasing Leo around the courtyard for a good while, everyone decided to just drop where they stood once Leo got too tired to keep dodging them. They had ended up in a grassy field with a few trees littered here and there, the waters of the Little Tiber spreading a cool breeze throughout the place. The calm atmosphere wasn't enough to keep everyone from dogpiling the son of Hephaestus as soon as he laid down, though.

 

"...can't...breathe” Leo wheezed from under the combined weight of Jason, Piper and Hazel on top of him almost completely covering him from sight.

  
“Guys, don't kill him again” Annabeth shouted from her place beneath a tree's shadow. Magnus sat next to her, making her some company while Percy canonballed into the river, clothes and all just because he could.

  
“He did that himself!” Piper said, getting off him anyway after Hazel jumped off the top of the pile. She held a hand out for Jason and finally Leo was free, but he wasn't moving. “Ah, did he actually die?” She asked casually, poking him with her foot while looking at Hazel.

  
Hazel waved her off. “He's fine. Let him remember how to breathe again” Said and done, Leo took a deep breath and hoisted himself up, coughing exageratedly and alternating with inhaling deeply.

  
“I'm okay! No need to worry, I'm fine” He announced, completely ignoring how everyone was off doing their own thing and not looking at him.

  
Seemed Percy's idea was well received, and soon enough half the group was either neck deep in the water or just seating by the river bank, soaking their legs. Apollo was floating on his back, almost letting the current take him if not for Meg tethering him to a tree with a vine she'd grown specifically for it. He'd been insisting to everyone who would stay withing earshot for more than five seconds that he really had to get going to complete his super important prophecy to save the world! Of course it would've had a better effect impressing people if it weren't that everyone present had already been in at least two quests each, but still, it was Apollo after all.

  
“We really have to leave though” Meg said as she made lily pads grow in the water. “We came to deliver Jason and talk with Reyna about the last part of the prophecy, but Apollo wanted to, and I quote, 'chill for like, five seconds' or something”

  
“I just got out of a face-to-face with Helios, do you have any idea how gross that dude leaves you?!” Apollo shouted from down the river, ears trained to any mention of his name. “I'm covered in more sweat than Valdez in a forging rut!”

  
“Leave me out of this!” Shouted Leo.

  
Leo had recluted Alex into roping Frank and Sam into a game; Leo would shout random animals and the three would shapeshift into it as fast as they could, with extra points for creativity. He'd had them turn into different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, lizards and birds.

  
“Dragon!” He said next, getting looks of both confusion and astonishment from the sisters as Frank turned into the winged creature without a second thought.

  
“Woah, wait, you can turn into a dragon?!” Alex asked, hands going to her hair in disbelief. Dragon-Frank looked at her with his large reptilian eyes, tilting his head as if saying 'Yes? Can you not?'

  
Samirah looked just as surprised. “Can...can we turn into one?” She said, voice low and considering. “I...we've never tried before”

  
“Aren't snakes and dragons Loki's sacred animal?” Leo said, getting surprised looks from the shapeshifters. “What? I like dragons, of course I'm gonna read as much about them as I can”

  
Alex laughed, biting her lip through her smile as she focused on the serpentine tattoo on the back of her neck. With the practiced ease of shifting, her limbs and face extended while scales covered her skin until a relatively small wyvern with shiny black and green scales stood in her place. She curiously inspected her newfound transformation, chasing her own tail and seemingly fascinated by the lack of arms and the wings that replaced them. She jumped on her toes a couple of times and opened her snout to the sky to let out a flaming breath.

  
The two dragons turned to Sam, who seemed a bit aprehensive under the unnerving shine of two sets of shiny slitted eyes. She sighed, tapping her chin in thought as she mentally riffled through anything she knew about dragons. Well, they could fly, so it wasn't so bad?

  
In the blink of an eye a second wyvern stood on Frank's other side, this one brown and green. Sam huffed, smoke coming out of her nose and onto Leo's face which made him giggle from how it tickled his face, completely immune to it. She fluttered her wings, taking off a few feet from the ground as she tested this new form.

  
“I think Alex and Sam win this round” Leo decided, patting Frank's snout at his dissapointed whine. “It's their first time, let them have it” Once the girls had turned back human, a spark of excitement in their eyes, Leo called the next animal. “Bear!”

  
Frank turned into a polar bear, while Sam took on the simpler shape of a grizzly. Alex remained unchanged.

  
“Uh, Alex? Bear?” Leo said.

  
Alex grinned. “Trick question. Frank's already a bear”

  
Frank's body shrunk back into his human form fast as a snapped rubber band, sputtering as he fell to the ground. Percy's howling laughter reaching them from where he and a few others were watching their little game.

  
Leo's grin matched Alex's. “Point for Alex!”

  
While Frank turned into a crow to get his revenge by pulling on Leo's hair, the sisters wandered off to join the rest by the river. Sam sat down on the grass while Alex rolled up her pants to dip her legs, kicking water at Apollo's face when he drifted closer to her. Magnus hauled himself out of the river, shaking himself like a dog and seating down behind Alex, draping himself against her back.

  
“You're ruining my shirt” She said in a way that let him know she was just stating a fact, not really bothered by it.

  
Magnus grumbled and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her shoulder. The air seemed to get warmer and drier out of nowhere, and in seconds both him and Alex's shirt were dry.

  
Alex patted his arm around her. “Thank you”

  
“Hey guys” Jason called as he swam up to them. “I talked to Reyna about the prophecy from the labyrinth; she's leaving with Meg and Apollo soon and Hazel and Frank will be left in charge around here” He rested his arms over the river's edge, lazily kicking as he floated next to them. “Since I'm, uh, dead and all that I'm pretty much free to do whatever I want so, any suggestions?”

  
“Why don't you come back to camp with us?” Annabeth suggested from her spot under the tree. “Percy and I are gonna stop by to make sure Nico and Will make it back alright and to check on everyone before going back to New York. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you, Jason”

  
“Oh, we could go by Yggdrasil. We're too many just for Nico to move” Magnus piped in, hooking his chin over Alex's shoulder to actually look at them.

  
His pendant started glimmering and detached from the chain, Jack hovering in its place the next second. “Yeah! I've always wanted to visit Camp Half-Blood!”

  
A gurgle was heard off to the side and the next second Meg was pulling at the vine wrapped around Apollo's ankle, getting him out of the river as the former god choked on the water he'd swallowed.

  
“You!” He coughed out. “What the Hades are you doing here?!”

  
Jack turned around—kinda? Could a sword even turn around? He didn't have eyes—and shone gold as he laughed. “Well, I'll be damned! I knew I was hearing someone familiar”

  
“Uh, you two have met, I'm guessing?” Magnus blinked, pointing at them in turn.

  
“Oh yes! Long time ago, in a tavern in Stockholm. This dude was laying it sooo hard on Frey--”

  
Apollo jumped at the sword, wrapping both hands around his hilt as if trying to choke him. “Shut up you cheap piece of scrap iron!”

  
Leo hissed from his spot on the ground, Crow-Frank contently lying on the mess he'd made of Leo's curls. “That's harsh, man”

  
Magnus face twisted as if he'd shoved an entire lemon in his mouth. “I really don't wanna know   
who's been hitting on my dad”

  
“At least your dad's flings have not been heavily and graphically documented throughout history” Jason deadpanned. Alex hissed in sympathy. “Lupa was brutal in making me study all of Roman Mythology”

 

Magnus and Alex shuddered. "I can't believe you were seriously raised by a wolf. Creeps me out" He said, the shapeshifter nodding along.

  
“Remind me to sent Chiron a fruit basket!” Percy shouted from the river. “Best guide ever!”

  
It was finally decided that rest time was over when Reyna's dogs trotted over to her to relay a message, to which she gathered everyone who would be going away on the quest with her or staying in New Rome to keep watch while she was gone. Piper and Leo also got ready to leave their own ways; Piper back home with her dad and Leo to Indianapolis to the Waystation. Hazel and Frank bid their goodbyes before returning to their posts to the city, with Reyna, Apollo and Meg following to gather supplies before leaving.

  
“I guess we won't be seeing each other in a while then” Reyna said, offering her hand for Jason to shake.

  
He grasped it firmly with both hands. “And if we do, I hope it's down here on Earth. Don't wanna see you up at the Hotel, you hear me?”

  
Reyna snorted. “Don't worry, the Valkyrie who tries to take my soul anywhere other than Elysium is gonna need a Valkyrie herself”

  
Sam stood still for a moment, then did a half shrug-half nod in agreement. “I mean, fair”

  
As soon as Reyna walked away Jason found his arms full of Hunter of Artemis.

  
“I'm so glad I got to see you again” Thalia said, hugging him with as much strenght as she could which, mind you and Jason's ribs, was quite a bit. “I can't believe we're both immortal now”

  
“It's a family curse. We're prone to drama” Jason answered, snickering at Apollo's wise nodding to the side.

  
Thalia let him go before punching his arm. “I have to get back to the hunt. If you survive this time do come visit every once in a while; I'll speak with Lady Artemis so you don't get shot on sight”

  
“Gee, thank you; not like I'm also her brother or anything”

  
Apollo snorted. “Yeah, that didn't stop the arrow she left for a month in my a--”

  
“Jason!” Piper shouted as she and Leo jumped on his back, both planting a loud and obnoxious kiss on his cheeks. “I don't wanna let you goooo”

  
“We have to stop meeting like this” Leo whined, hanging from Jason's neck like his tiny being didn't even register to Jason. “Dying and coming back is so yesterday”

  
Jason patted his hair comfortingly. “Hey, as long we stay out of trouble we can hang out again later” He wrapped his other arm around Piper to support her better. God why were his best friends so tiny. “We can talk through raven! Much more reliable than Iris Messaging, and I seriously hope she didn't hear me say that”

  
Since he wasn't immediately crushed under a rainbow, he considered himself safe.

  
After Meg reminded them they were on a schedule, they finished their goodbyes and finally split their way, Leo and Piper flying away on Festus while Reyna guided Meg and Apollo away.

  
“Aw, we're leaving already?” Halfborn pouted. He'd been enjoying the freedom of swimming in a river without the fear of freezing in it like he would have when he was alive in the North. Not even the hot water pools in Valhalla felt as good as the natural streams.

  
“We don't have much else to do around here with everyone so busy” Jason explained, helping TJ out of the river as Magnus dried everyone off as quick as he could. “Besides I'm sure you guys will love Camp Half-Blood just as much”

  
“Oh yeah, it's like the complete opposite of Camp Jupiter” Percy jumped in. “Small, surrounded by forests, cabins instead of buildings and everyone is down to clown at the drop of a hat”

  
“Is it sunny over there? It is on the other side of the country after all” Blitz asked, sitting on a blanket under a beach sunshade next to Hearthstone who seemed to have become one with the ground as he enjoyed the added sunlight and warmth Magnus was producing.

  
Annabeth nodded. “The barrier around camp helps keep the weather warm all year. I'm sure we could adjust it to filther out actual sunlight to keep you from turning to stone, Blitzen”

  
Blitz sagged in relief, then startled up as he realized he was getting dirt on the sleeves of his jacket.

  
Hearthstone was so relaxed it took him a while to gather himself and find the spot they needed to open a rift, but once he did Magnus and Jack worked their magic and they all made their way inside in an orderly fashion just like how they'd arrived; Hearth and Blitz first, then Jason and the Greeks with the rest of the floor 19 gang closing behind them. Long Island was aproximately the same distance away from San Francisco as Boston, so the trip there was just a bit shorter than it had been the first time. Nico and Will walked close together, trying to keep watch of where they were stepping while also looking around in wonder at the shifting branches towering above them. Annabeth and Percy managed to somehow keep walking in a straight line despite not looking at the branches they were stepping on; likely a side effect of multiple quests giving them incredible spacial awareness.

  
“Hey, how come Ratatoskr hasn't shoved its nose around here yet?” Magnus asked from the back, looking around suspiciosuly at the slithering branches.

  
“The what?” Will asked alarmed.

  
“I'm guessing Hades' kid is scaring it off” Blitz grunted as he pushed himself up a branch above them with Hearth's help. “Must have a similar enough scent to Hela to keep it away” He looked at Nico appreciatively, nodding at him as he helped them up the branch after himself.

  
Nico flushed at the positive attention, grumbling under his breath and half-hiding behind Will's arm.

  
While Blitz started conversation with the couple, Jason found himself falling to the back of the group, content to watch his friends learn what he'd learned the past couple of days about the different ways their cultures clashed. He didn't hear someone stepping beside him until an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

  
“So” TJ started. “This camp we're going to, when was the last time you were there?”

  
Jason wrapped his own arm around the boy's shoulders, mindful of the rifle strapped to his back. “Last summer-ish? I left to finish school at an academy...” Jason's eyes suddenly went wide. “Oh gods, do they even know I'm dead...?” He whispered.

  
TJ patted his shoulder. “Oh, don't you worry about that. Part of the process of Valhalla is that if you died in particular circunstances Helgi takes care of sorting out your pending issues” He pointed at the others. “Magnus' body ended up at the bottom of the river and Alex could've been in that alley for a long time if he didn't pull the strings for someone to casually walk by at the right time or, I don't know, someone to catch them in a fishing net”

  
Jason wrinkled his nose at the thought of someone pulling up his net expecting to find fish and only coming up with a dead kid. That was the kind of disturbing thing that seemed right in place with the Nordic's way of doing things.

 

“Well, no reason to dwell on that” TJ smiled cheerfully, and it blinded Jason for a second. “Tell me about the place! You told us what to expect when arriving at New Rome, I want to be ready for this battlefield”

 

Jason hummed. “'Battlefield' is a pretty good way to call it, for starters”

 

He told him about the open fields of camp, and the surrounding forests that housed the dryads working there. About the naiads living in the lake and the way to the beach. The cabins surrounding the central fire and how he got one for himself since he was the only child of Jupiter there after Thalia left, and how the same happened to Percy and Nico. He talked about their own resident god, who seemed to hate everyone on sight but Jason knew deep down cared for them in his own grumpy uncle way. He told him about the dragon guarding what used to be his sister's tree on top of the hill--

 

“Hill?” TJ perked up, jumping in place and taking Jason up and down with him. “And a dragon? At the same time?”

 

Jason laughed. Of course he'd focus on that part. “Yeah, it's nothing like the dragons in Valhalla though; this one just sleeps as long as you don't bother him”

 

“And if he kills us we die for real” Percy added in front of them without turning around.

 

“And the hill” Jason continued. “It's called Half-Blood Hill. They named it that after Thalia sacrificed herself to save Annabeth and...another friend”

 

TJ understood the undertone of the way he'd worded that. No asking about that 'friend' then. He didn't miss the way Annabth and Percy's shoulders tensed, then slumped as they overheard. TJ decided to drive the conversation another way. “And do you guys have battles like us?”

 

“Camp Jupiter has war games” Jason said. “They're brutal. Every once in a while someone actually dies. Camp Half-Blood has chariot races and a battling arena, and a bunch of training games; they're much more relaxed in that sense”

 

TJ answered with a soft 'oh' and looked to the side, pursing his lips a bit. Jason grinned and snatched his hat, ruffling his hair playfully.

 

“Don't worry, I'm sure we can ask to play some games to let you claim your own hill. Maybe capture the flag outside the forest?”

 

He yelped when he suddenly found himself airborne, unused to the sensation of actual arms around him and lifting him up instead of the wind; especially when TJ was at least half a head shorter than him.

 

He was certainly stronger than he looked.

 

“Guys, we're here!” Magnus called out, Grabbing Jack and reading himself to open up a new rift.

 

The sword cut through the air as easily as before, and this time instead of surprised gasps and the sound of readying weapons they were met with awed gasps and dozens of voices of children shouting in excitement around the portal.

 

“They knew we were coming” Nico said from the middle of the group. “I sent Clovis a message to his dreams when I was napping by the Tiber”

 

Will leaned down to plant a noisy kiss on his cheek.

 

Nico huffed, pushing him away without force behind it before grabbing his hand and pulling him along to leave Yggdrasil. When they walked out there was loud cheering that somehow got louder when Annabeth and Percy followed, the son of Poseidon shouting right back at the crowd.

 

“So, do they know about you?” TJ asked Jason, releasing him from the one armed hug as he fixed his rifle and uniform to look presentable.

 

Jason shrugged, ignoring his sweaty palms. “I don't know if they were told I died; all my friends were either at Camp Jupiter or across the country. I'm guessing Nico was here when it happened, and he can feel when someone dies; especially if they were close to him...I'd like to think we are”

 

A hand patted his back comfortingly. “I'm sure you are. He doesn't look the kind to be good at expressing his feelings, but he looked just as shocked when you came back. And relieved” He pushed Jason forward. “Now, time for act two. Get out there, wolfie”

 

Jason laughed, pushing him away playfully. He then faced forward and breathed in deeply, walking out resolutely and into the shock of green of the forest.

 

Immediately he was assaulted by screaming on all sides. The younger kids who didn't know him in person but had heard stories of him were looking at him like one would a cryptid. Meanwhile, the campers who had spent the last year with him were shouting, pumping their fists in excitement and rushing forward to hug him or pat/hit his back in welcome. Definitely different to what he'd gotten back in New Rome.

 

Then again, they weren't holding his funeral over here.

 

“John Green” A familiar voice said. The campers parted like the sea and the tired figure of Mr. D walked through, a wine glass filled with soda swirling in his hand. Chiron followed behind him, looking at the newcomers with a mix of surprise and welcoming joy. “Fancy seeing you in the world of the living. Last I heard you were supposed to be Roman kebab”

 

“Harsh, Mr. D” Jason answered, following the game. He knew mortality was something gods didn't really think about, but he also knew Dyonisus was a bit more sensitive to humans' deaths since having been born a demigod plus the recent death of his own son. Poor jokes were just his way of making everyone cope with it. “I missed you too” Had he been a fearless man, he would've tacked a 'brother' at the end, but he was fine with dying just once, thank you very much.

 

The god hummed, taking a sip of his drink. “So, shall we take your entourage to the Big House? I don't feel like learning all your names in the middle of a bunch of screaming children”

 

“You're not gonna learn their names anyway” Percy muttered. A vine grew around his foot and made him trip when he took a step forward.

 

“You four can stay here, I just need John and the newbies” Mr. D told the Greeks. “Besides, you have someone here waiting for you”

 

Before Percy could ask what he meant by that, he was tackled to the ground by a blur rushing out from the forest.

 

“Is that a goat?” Alex asked, trying to figure out what was happening.

 

“Grover!” Jason shouted, running to kneel down next to his felled cousin and hugging the satyr as Grover did the same while still sitting on Percy's stomach.

 

“Jason! Oh, you really are alive” Grover cried, running his hands over Jason's face as if making sure he was really there. “Well, not alive but—oh, you know what I mean!” He laughed, wiping away stray tears as he stood up, helping Percy up and hugging him properly. “And you! It's been too long!”

 

“Oh man” Percy grinned back, squeezing the satyr tight enough to make him wheeze. “I missed you so much!”

 

Mr. D cleared his throat. “I'm sure the Lord of the Wild and Peter have a lot of catching up to do. Green, follow me already”

 

“Why does he keep calling you that?” TJ whispered to Jason as they walked behind the god and centaur.

 

“He likes to pretend he doesn't remember our names. You know, like to make it seem he doesn't care about us” Jason whispered back. He knew Mr. D was most likely hearing them, but so far no vines had made him trip so he must've been in the clear.

 

They walked inside and Mr. D sat at his desk, plopping his feet on top and resting his hands on his stomach as the group tried to figure out were to sit in the cramped office. Alex just straight up jumped on the pool table and sat cross-legged on it.

 

“So, can we get names out of the way?” Mr. D said, gesturing vaguely at the one closest to him.

 

They introduced themselves one by one, adding their godly parentage if they had one. Mr. D scrunched his nose at Magnus, as if knowing there was another Chase in his camp gave him a headache already. He did show a bit of interest when he noticed the elf and dwarf in their group

 

“Will you be staying for long? If so we'll need to figure out accomodations” Chiron said kindly, and Jason could already see the spark in his eyes that said he was already considering these kids as part of his own group. “Jason has his cabin, and the girls can stay at Lady Artemis'”

 

“What about me?” Alex asked, hand raised as if in a classroom.

 

“We'll figure out where you boys go” Mr. D waved his hand dismissively, and Jason looked at Alex surprised. Magnus caught his eye and nodded, and Jason knew that somewhere during the trip Alex must've gone male. He also noticed Alex's voice seemed a bit deeper and his face was sharper. Was this part of his shapeshifting abilities? It was a good thing to keep in mind.

 

“We might just put you somewhere you fit with the campers, like Magnus in the Apollo cabin” Chiron suggested.

 

Magnus nodded. “Oh yeah, we met him. Nice guy. Dramatic”

 

Magnus ended up in the Apollo cabin. Blitz had gone straight to the Aphrodite cabin with Hearth hot on his heels when he heard they had their own tanning bed that Blitz could tinker with for him to sleep in, while Halfborn and TJ were sent with the Ares kids and Alex could stay in the Hermes cabin or choose to move to Artemis' in the event he was no longer a boy during their stay. Jason was a bit scared to think of what Alex and the Hermes kids could get up to if left to their own devices.

 

“Alright then, Max, Merida, Tobby, Harry, Sarah, Blixem, Heath and Alex” Mr. D named them as he pointed at each. Jason was surprised he'd actually said Alex's name and not some variation. “I'll try to remember you all. Now get out of my office”

 

The leopard head on the wall roared and they all scrambled out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so max=magnus  
> merida=mallory  
> harry=halfborn  
> sarah=sam  
> tobby=TJ  
> blixem=blitz  
> heath=hearth
> 
> dyonisus is considered the god of transgender people as far as ive seen in some articles so he actually has a soft spot for alex and will call him by his actual name

**Author's Note:**

> I have a general idea where this will go, ships will be added as the chapters are uploaded since i still haven't figured out who all is gonna appear. This is just about Jason for now.


End file.
